Stretches for the Pelvic Floor Muscles Stretching RULES
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1 Lizanne Pastore PT, MA, COMT 504-8772 Reviewed: Maricela Lopez,B.S.,Hlth Ed. Rev. 09/10 Stretches for the Pelvic Floor Muscles Stretching RULES: *Stretches should be held for only as long as you are comfortable. Start by performing each stretch (unless noted otherwise) for 10 seconds, then work up to 20 or 30 seconds. Ideally, you’ll want to try to hold for 45 to 60 seconds in a PAIN- FREE stretch. Perform these stretches every other day to begin, then once you feel comfortable with them, you can do them every day. **Keep your pelvic floor muscles relaxed during all stretches. If possible, perform the Belly Breathing (separate handout) first so you are relaxed. ***Never hold your breath! Belly breathe with each stretch. You should feel a gentle “letting go” in the area you are stretching if doing the exercise correctly. DON’T push too hard! ****Release from each stretch slowly and carefully. If you’ve never stretched begin very slowly. Try doing your stretches after a hot bath or shower. 1. “Labor” Stretch -Lie on your back -Draw each leg up towards your chest and hold onto each knee with each hand -Spread apart your legs as wide as you comfortably can by pulling your knees up and apart with your hands -Feel the stretch in your perineum, imagine your sitting bones widening apart from each other and your muscles relaxing -Belly Breathe as you hold the stretch [Images from: Dept of Physical Therapy. Pelvic Floor Elongation Stretch. UCSF, San Francisco, CA. 2008.]
Transcript of Stretches for the Pelvic Floor Muscles Stretching RULES
1LizannePastorePT,MA,COMT504-8772Reviewed:MaricelaLopez,B.S.,HlthEd.Rev.09/10
StretchesforthePelvicFloorMusclesStretchingRULES:*Stretchesshouldbeheldforonlyaslongasyouarecomfortable.Startbyperformingeachstretch(unlessnotedotherwise)for10seconds,thenworkupto20or30seconds.Ideally,you’llwanttotrytoholdfor45to60secondsinaPAIN-FREEstretch.Performthesestretcheseveryotherdaytobegin,thenonceyoufeelcomfortablewiththem,youcandothemeveryday.**Keepyourpelvicfloormusclesrelaxedduringallstretches.Ifpossible,performtheBellyBreathing(separatehandout)firstsoyouarerelaxed.***Neverholdyourbreath!Bellybreathewitheachstretch.Youshouldfeelagentle“lettinggo”intheareayouarestretchingifdoingtheexercisecorrectly.DON’Tpushtoohard!****Releasefromeachstretchslowlyandcarefully.Ifyou’veneverstretchedbeginveryslowly.Trydoingyourstretchesafterahotbathorshower.1.“Labor”Stretch-Lieonyourback-Draweachleguptowardsyourchestandholdontoeachkneewitheachhand
-Spreadapartyourlegsaswideasyoucomfortablycanbypullingyourkneesupandapartwithyourhands
-Feelthestretchinyourperineum,imagineyoursittingboneswideningapartfromeachotherandyourmusclesrelaxing-BellyBreatheasyouholdthestretch
[Imagesfrom:DeptofPhysicalTherapy.PelvicFloorElongationStretch.UCSF,SanFrancisco,CA.2008.]
2LizannePastorePT,MA,COMT504-8772Reviewed:MaricelaLopez,B.S.,HlthEd.Rev.09/10
2.KneestoChestStretch-Lieonyourback-Bendoneleganddrawituptowardsyourchestwithyourhands
[Stein,A.HealPelvicPain.Chapter3,EndthePain.NewYork:McGrawHill,2009.]
-Feelthestretchinyourbuttock-Dothisoneachside-Thentrybringingbothkneesuptogethertofeelthestretchinyoubuttocksandlowback-BellyBreathetoholdthestretch3.“Figure4”Stretch-Lieonyourback-Placeyourfeetflatonthefloorsothatyourkneesarebent-Placeyourleftankleonyourrightkneeorthighsoastomakea4-shapewithyourlegs
-Nowraiseyourrightlegandholdontoitwithyourhandsbywrappingyourhandsaroundyourrightthigh
-Bypullingupyourrightleg,you’llfeelthestretchinyourleftbuttockandhip-BellyBreatheasyouholdthestretch-Repeatontheothersidebyswitchingoutyourlegpositions [Imagesfrom:Stein,A.HealPelvicPain.Chapter3,EndthePain.NewYork:McGrawHill,2009.]
3LizannePastorePT,MA,COMT504-8772Reviewed:MaricelaLopez,B.S.,HlthEd.Rev.09/10
4.GroinStretch-Lieonyourback-Bendyourkneessothatthesolesofyourfeetaretogetherandyourkneesfalloutwardtoeachside-Allowthelegstobepulledoutwardcomfortably(youcanplacepillowsundereachkneeifyouneedto)-Note:thisphotoshowsabolsterpositionedundertheback,thisisoptional
[Mira,S.&Mehta,S.YogatheIyengarWay.London:DorlingKindersleyLimited,1990.]
-Feelthestretchintheinnerthighs-BellyBreatheasyouholdthestretch-Thiscanbedonesittinguptoo
[Stein,A.HealPelvicPain.Chapter3,EndthePain.NewYork:McGrawHill,2009.]
4LizannePastorePT,MA,COMT504-8772Reviewed:MaricelaLopez,B.S.,HlthEd.Rev.09/10
5.TrunkTwistStretch-Lieonyourback-Stretchoutyourarmstoeachsidetomakea“T”-Takeyourrighthandandgrabyourleftkneeandbringitslowlyacrossyourbodytowardsthefloor-Keepyourleftarmoutstretchedtocounterbalance-You’llfeelarotationstretchinyourspine-Breathethruthestretch-Repeatontheotherside
[Anderson,Bob.Stretching.Bolinas,CA:ShelterPublications,Inc.,1980.]6.HamstringStretchontheWall-Lieonyourbacknearawall.-Drawyourkneestoyourchest-Positionyourselfsothatyourbuttisnearthewallandscootyourbuttasclosetothewallasyoucan-Slowlystraightenonelegoutandplaceitsothattheheelisrestingonthewall,ifyoucan.Don’tforcefullystraightentheknee.Thentrytoplacetheotherlegupasinpicture.-Ifstretchingbothistoodifficult,thendojustonelegatatime,whiletherestinglegisbentoutoftheway.-BreatheintothestretchbehindthelegNote:Thisphotoshowspropsundertheback.DoNOTplaceanythingunderyourback,aspictured,keepyourbackflatagainstthefloor.
[Lasater,Ph.D,PT,Judith.RelaxandRenew:RestfulYogaforStressfulTimes.Berkeley,CA:RodmellPress,1995.]
5LizannePastorePT,MA,COMT504-8772Reviewed:MaricelaLopez,B.S.,HlthEd.Rev.09/10
7.SideTrunkStretch-Sitonthefloorwithbothlegsbenttowardtherightside,thiswillcauseasmallstretchonyourleftsidebody
[LasaterPh.D,PT,Judith.30EssentialYogaPosesforBeginningStudentsandTheirTeachers.Berkeley,CA:RodmellPress,2003.]-Raiseyourleftarmupintheairandbendslowlytowardstherighttoincreasethestretchonyourleftside-BellyBreatheintoyourleftsidebody-Repeatontheotherside8.“Z”Stretch-Startbysittingonthefloorwiththesolesofyourfeettogether-Thenplaceyourrightlegbehindyou,keepyourleftleginthesameposition-You’llmakea“Z”withyourlegs-Keepyourbackstraightbyplacingyourhandsonyourknees-BellyBreatheforthestretch-Repeatintheotherdirection
From Ending Female Pain: A Woman’s Manual, by Isa Herrera MSPT, CSCS. Duplex Pub, NY 2009
6LizannePastorePT,MA,COMT504-8772Reviewed:MaricelaLopez,B.S.,HlthEd.Rev.09/10
9.HipFlexorStretch-Standwithyourfeetabouthipwidthapart-Haveachairnearbyforbalanceorholdontothewall-Withyourleftfoot,takea“giant”stepforwardsothatyouareinalongstridestance-Ensureyourhipbonesandtoesarepointingstraightforwardoneachfoot-Adjustthelengthofthestepforyourowntightnesslevel-Bendyourleftkneelikeyouarelungingforwardabit-Don’tstrainyourkneebylungingtoofar-Keepyourpelvistuckedabitlikea“baddog”andthiswillensureyou’llfeelthestretchinthefrontoftherighthip-BellyBreathethruthestretch-Repeatoneachside
[Stein,A.HealPelvicPain.Chapter3,EndthePain.NewYork:McGrawHill,2009.]10.SideBodyStretch-Standwithyourfeettogetherorhipwidthapart-Placeyourlefthandonyourhipandraiseyourrighthanduphigh-Stayingstraightandnottwisting,stretchyourrightsidebodybyreachingwiththatrighthand
[Stein,A.HealPelvicPain.Chapter3,EndthePain.NewYork:McGrawHill,2009.]
7LizannePastorePT,MA,COMT504-8772Reviewed:MaricelaLopez,B.S.,HlthEd.Rev.09/10
-Takeabreathortwointhispositionandrepeatitifyoucan-Switchsides11.BellyStretch-Standing-Placeyourpalmsonthesmallofyourback-Stretchyourbodyupwardsfirstandimagineyouaremakingspaceforeachbackbone
-Afteryouhaveelongatedyourspinegentlyarchbackwardsuntilyoufeelalittlestretchinyourtummymuscles
-Takeonenicebreathandreturntothemiddle-DothisafewtimesifyourbackfeelsOK [Imagesfrom:Stein,A.HealPelvicPain.Chapter3,EndthePain.NewYork:McGrawHill,2009.]
8LizannePastorePT,MA,COMT504-8772Reviewed:MaricelaLopez,B.S.,HlthEd.Rev.09/10
12.Child’sPose-Beontheflooronyourhandsandkneesandthentuckandloweryourselfdownsothatyourbuttcomesdowntowardyourheelsandyourhandsslideforwardsothatyourheadapproachesthefloor,yourkneesshouldbeseparatedabout1footapart-Gentlyreachyourarmsoutforwardtofeelanicestretchinyourbackandtrunk
-Thenreachouttotherighttofeelthestretchonyourleft
-Breathewiththisposition-Switchtoreachtotheleft
[Imagesfrom:Stein,A.HealPelvicPain.Chapter3,EndthePain.NewYork:McGrawHill,2009.]
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