Resources
- High-Tone Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes & Relief Tips
- How Menopause Affects the Pelvic Floor: Symptoms, Support & Hormonal Impact
- Tailbone Wagging for Tailbone Pain Relief and Pelvic Floor Mobility
- The Power of Tremoring: How Tension Release Exercises Support Your Nervous System
- Pelvic Floor Postpartum Exercises for Faster Recovery
- Navigating Coccyx Pain in Pregnancy: A Trimester-by-Trimester Guide
- Understanding Coccyx Pain: Symptoms, Causes, Healing and Prevention
- 5 Pilates Pelvic Floor Exercises You Don’t Want to Leave Out
- Pelvic Floor Massage: A Comprehensive Guide
- Does Pilates Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles? A Comprehensive Guide
- Hypermobility and Pelvic Floor Health: What You Need to Know
- The Foot to Pelvic Floor Connection: A Whole-Body Approach to Movement and Health
- Understanding Pelvic Floor Pain After Running: Causes and Solutions for Professionals
- Top 5 Exercises to Strengthen the Pelvic Floor
- Do Squats Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles? Insights for Movement Professionals
- How Pelvic Floor Health Is Related to the Process of Moving from Arousal to Orgasm
- 5 Things I Wish People Knew About Your Pelvic Floor & Orgasm
- Pelvic Floor Tension: Everything You Need to Know
- How Running and Pelvic Floor Health Are Interconnected: What Every Runner Should Know
- Does Running Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles? Myths vs. Facts
- Understanding Urine Leakage Causes: Why It Happens and How to Manage It
- How to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor: The Ultimate Guide
- Strengthening and Restorative Yoga Poses for Full Body Health
- Understanding Queefing: Causes, Symptoms, and Simple Prevention Tips
- How Do You Know if You Have a Weak Pelvic Floor
- What Does Pelvic Floor Pain Feel Like?
- How Can I Strengthen My Pelvic Floor Without Kegels?
- Pelvic Floor Stretches | 5 Quick Ways To Relax Your Pelvis
- Pelvic Floor Specialist | Finding Help To Heal Your Pelvis
- Is Pelvic Floor Repair Major Surgery? | Pelvic Health Guide
- Pelvic Floor Exercise
- How to Strengthen Pelvic Floor
- Pelvic Floor Therapy | Improving Your Pelvic Health
Resources
- High-Tone Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes & Relief Tips
- How Menopause Affects the Pelvic Floor: Symptoms, Support & Hormonal Impact
- Tailbone Wagging for Tailbone Pain Relief and Pelvic Floor Mobility
- The Power of Tremoring: How Tension Release Exercises Support Your Nervous System
- Pelvic Floor Postpartum Exercises for Faster Recovery
- Navigating Coccyx Pain in Pregnancy: A Trimester-by-Trimester Guide
- Understanding Coccyx Pain: Symptoms, Causes, Healing and Prevention
- 5 Pilates Pelvic Floor Exercises You Don’t Want to Leave Out
- Pelvic Floor Massage: A Comprehensive Guide
- Does Pilates Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles? A Comprehensive Guide
- Hypermobility and Pelvic Floor Health: What You Need to Know
- The Foot to Pelvic Floor Connection: A Whole-Body Approach to Movement and Health
- Understanding Pelvic Floor Pain After Running: Causes and Solutions for Professionals
- Top 5 Exercises to Strengthen the Pelvic Floor
- Do Squats Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles? Insights for Movement Professionals
- How Pelvic Floor Health Is Related to the Process of Moving from Arousal to Orgasm
- 5 Things I Wish People Knew About Your Pelvic Floor & Orgasm
- Pelvic Floor Tension: Everything You Need to Know
- How Running and Pelvic Floor Health Are Interconnected: What Every Runner Should Know
- Does Running Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles? Myths vs. Facts
- Understanding Urine Leakage Causes: Why It Happens and How to Manage It
- How to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor: The Ultimate Guide
- Strengthening and Restorative Yoga Poses for Full Body Health
- Understanding Queefing: Causes, Symptoms, and Simple Prevention Tips
- How Do You Know if You Have a Weak Pelvic Floor
- What Does Pelvic Floor Pain Feel Like?
- How Can I Strengthen My Pelvic Floor Without Kegels?
- Pelvic Floor Stretches | 5 Quick Ways To Relax Your Pelvis
- Pelvic Floor Specialist | Finding Help To Heal Your Pelvis
- Is Pelvic Floor Repair Major Surgery? | Pelvic Health Guide
- Pelvic Floor Exercise
- How to Strengthen Pelvic Floor
- Pelvic Floor Therapy | Improving Your Pelvic Health
Pilates and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Is It the Solution You’re Seeking?
6 Min Read
Pelvic floor dysfunction – it’s a buzz topic these days. But what is it, really?
Do you pee a little when you sneeze? Are you frequently constipated or have a hard time passing stool without straining? Do you have pain or discomfort during sexual intercourse? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s possible that they are symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is when you have difficulty coordinating your pelvic floor muscles, the muscles at the base of your pelvis, resulting in problems with urination, defecation (bowel movements), low back or hip pain, and discomfort during sex.†
Symptoms may include:
- Urinary issues like painful urination, urge to urinate or leaking
- Lower back pain
- Pain in the pelvic region, genitals, groin, or rectum
- Constipation or bowel strains
- Muscle spasms in the pelvis
- Pressure in the pelvic region or rectum
- Discomfort during sexual intercourse for women
- Coccyx (tailbone) pain
There are many approaches to addressing pelvic floor dysfunction, or PFD. Exercise is a key factor. There are many approaches to addressing pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), and exercise is a key factor. A well-designed movement program can strengthen and restore the pelvic floor muscles, helping with bladder and bowel control and reducing symptoms like pelvic organ prolapse. However, not all exercise approaches are equally effective—some traditional core workouts may actually increase pressure and worsen symptoms.
Pilates has long been recognized for its focus on core strength, breath control, and body awareness, making it a popular choice for those looking to improve pelvic floor function. Many Pilates exercises target the deep core muscles, including the pelvic floor, helping to build strength and stability.
Restore Your Core® (RYC®) takes this approach a step further by combining strength, mobility, and breath work to retrain and restore core and pelvic floor function. Unlike conventional workouts that focus solely on strengthening, RYC® emphasizes proper alignment, movement mechanics, and whole-body integration to improve core coordination and reduce symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction.
For someone with PFD, RYC® is often a better choice than traditional Pilates because it prioritizes not just strengthening but also release work, breath mechanics, and movement strategies that reduce excess pressure on the pelvic floor. Many people with PFD experience symptoms due to muscle tension or poor core coordination rather than weakness alone. RYC® addresses these issues holistically, ensuring that strengthening happens in a way that supports—not strains—the pelvic floor. By focusing on core function rather than just core strength, RYC® provides a safer and more effective path to long-term pelvic health.
How exercise helps pelvic floor dysfunction:
- Strengthens muscles: Exercise can strengthen and lengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder, bowels, and uterus
- Improves endurance: Exercise can help increase endurance and relax the pelvic muscles
- Reduces pain: Exercise can help relieve pain associated with pelvic floor dysfunction
- Improves quality of life: Improved pelvic floor function can improve quality of life
The Role of Pilates in Pelvic Health:
There are many forms of exercise to help PFD; the one I want to talk about today is the Pilates method of exercise.
Pilates has been around for a long time, well before its popularity arose in the 90’s and early 2000’s. Almost one hundred years ago, Joseph H. Pilates created the method of exercise. It first appealed to dancers who found it accelerated their recovery from injuries, as well as helped them remain injury-free. From there, it quickly gained popularity across many disciplines, sports and professions.
The common thread amongst all of these walks of life is that Pilates has offered people a therapeutic approach to getting stronger and staying active in their daily lives.
Pilates targets the deep muscles of the pelvic floor, among other core muscles, enhancing the pelvic floor’s tone and strength. As these muscles become stronger, they can better support the pelvic organs and improve overall pelvic stability and control. Therefore, practicing Pilates, in particular, may offer a therapeutic approach to managing and treating pelvic floor dysfunction.
Key benefits of Pilates for core strength:
- Deep muscle activation: Pilates exercises focus on engaging the deep core muscles, which are often neglected in other workouts and are crucial for spinal stability and proper alignment
- Mind-muscle connection: Pilates emphasizes body awareness, allowing you to consciously connect with your core muscles during each movement, leading to better muscle recruitment, coordination and control
- Controlled movements: The slow, controlled nature of Pilates exercises ensures proper form and prevents strain, maximizing core engagement throughout the workout
- Improved posture: By strengthening the core, Pilates helps to maintain a supported spine position, resulting in better posture, reduced back tension and less intra-abdominal pressure
- Functional movement: Pilates exercises mimic everyday movements, translating core strength into improved performance in daily activities like lifting, bending, and twisting
- Injury prevention: A strong core acts as a protective mechanism for the spine, minimizing the risk of back and pelvic floor injuries
- Athletic performance enhancement: For athletes, Pilates can improve core stability and optimize movement mechanics. This can lead to better power generation, coordinated movements and injury prevention
Key Pilates Exercises for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction:
Many exercises are helpful for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. Often, it’s best to begin with exercises that gently challenge the control of our pelvis and low back. Some fundamental exercises that target pelvic floor strengthening and release work include:
Pelvic Curls
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart
- Inhale to prepare; exhale and begin to gently tuck your pelvis, flattening your lower back to the floor. Inhale as you untuck your pelvis, keep untucking until your pelvis so your pubic bone moves away from you
- Flowing your breath, keep moving between these positions
- Focus: Think about the movement being initiated by the pelvis. The spine will move, but only because it’s following the movement of the pelvis
Bridges
- Start in the same position as Pelvic Curls
- On an exhale, begin to tuck your pelvis and flatten your lower back to the floor. Keep tucking as you push your feet down, as your pelvis and low back peel away from the floor
- Stay here for a breath, and on an exhale, begin to lower down with control
- Focus: Strengthens the glutes and core as you stabilize your pelvis
Leg Slides
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat
- Exhale, feeling your core respond, and slowly extend one leg straight along the floor
- Inhale, slide it back to start. Repeat on the other side
- Focus: Strengthens the core as you stabilize the pelvis
Heel Taps
- Lie on your back, knees bent in a tabletop position
- Spine stays in neutral
- Exhale, lower one heel toward the floor, keeping your knee bent
- Inhale, bring it back up. Repeat with the other leg
- Don’t allow the pelvis to shift. If you feel the pelvis moving, make the movement smaller
- Focus: Deep core and pelvic floor strengthening
Considerations and Precautions:
Pilates, like any exercise method, should be practiced with awareness and understanding of the body. When practicing Pilates as a solution to pelvic floor dysfunction, potential challenges include:
- Movement and exercise compensations leading to pelvic floor strain
- Over-activation of the core muscles, which may cause tension and/or pressure on the pelvic floor
- Lack of understanding of pelvic floor and core engagement
- Advancing exercises too quickly or performing exercises with too high an intensity
- Not having a qualified instructor experienced in pelvic floor issues could lead to exercises that increase symptoms
Each person’s pelvic floor needs are unique, so a customized Pilates program is essential. Certain Pilates exercises may need to be modified or avoided depending on the severity of pelvic floor dysfunction, especially those that increase intra-abdominal pressure. Inform your Pilates instructor about any pelvic floor issues you have, including pain or discomfort, to ensure appropriate modifications are made.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, please stop your Pilates practice and consult your healthcare practitioner.
- Increased pelvic floor tension: If exercises are too intense or focus solely on contracting the core without proper pelvic floor relaxation, it can lead to overactive pelvic floor muscles, increasing symptoms of PFD
- Pelvic floor prolapse worsening: In cases of pelvic organ prolapse, certain Pilates exercises may worsen the condition if not carefully managed
- Pain during or after exercise: If you experience any pain in the pelvic region during or after Pilates, stop the exercise and consult your healthcare provider
You should also consult a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program if you have any pre-existing health conditions, are new to exercise, are taking medications that could be affected by physical activity, are experiencing symptoms like chest pain or dizziness, or if you are unsure about whether an exercise is safe for you based on your current health status.
So should I practice Pilates?
Pilates can be an excellent form of exercise to support Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. The exercise method strengthens the pelvic floor by drawing upon the core muscles for support and stability during full-body movement exercises. Pilates exercises prioritize core control, alignment and breathing, which can improve pelvic floor function, reduce pressure on your pelvic organs, and improve bladder control.
If you are interested in taking Pilates classes or learning more about the method, look for a trained and certified Pilates instructor who understands pelvic floor dysfunction. Classes are offered in small studios, fitness centers and online.
FAQ
1. What symptoms indicate pelvic floor dysfunction that might benefit from Pilates?
- Frequent bathroom visits
- Having to frequently start and stop when you’re trying to pee
- Straining or pushing to pass a bowel movement
- Having to change positions on the toilet or use your hand to eliminate stool
- Constipation
- Leaking stool
- Leaking urine
- Painful urination
- Unexplained low back pain
- Ongoing pain in your pelvic region, genitals, hips, or rectum
- Pain during or after with sexual intercourse
2. Are there any risks associated with Pilates exercises for someone with severe pelvic floor dysfunction?
Yes, for someone with severe pelvic floor dysfunction, certain Pilates exercises, particularly those that involve intense core engagement or sustained abdominal pressure, can pose risks if not modified appropriately. It’s crucial to consult a healthcare professional before starting Pilates with severe pelvic floor dysfunction to ensure exercises are tailored to your needs and limitations.
3. How does Pilates compare to other forms of physical therapy for pelvic floor health?
While Pilates can be beneficial for pelvic floor health by strengthening the core muscles that support the pelvic region, it is not as targeted as dedicated pelvic floor physical therapy or programs like Restore Your Core®, which specifically focuses on releasing tension and strengthening the body to help support pelvic floor health. Pilates can be a complementary exercise to pelvic floor physical therapy to enhance overall core stability and postural awareness.
4. Can Pilates exercises be done at home for pelvic floor dysfunction, and what equipment is needed?
Yes, you can practice Pilates exercises at home to help with pelvic floor dysfunction. On-demand Pilates classes, like those found in Restore Your Core®, can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and improve your overall pelvic health.
Equipment isn’t necessary to practice Pilates, but you might use some of the following:
- Pilates ring: A flexible circle with padded handles that provides resistance to help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles
- Small ball: A 5-12” ball can help release tension and also be used as a prop to challenge basic Pilates exercises like bridges
- Exercise mat: You can use an exercise mat to perform Pilates exercises at home
- Wall: You can use a wall to perform Pilates exercises at home, such as the pelvic tilt exercise
5. Are there any age restrictions for practicing Pilates to help with pelvic floor dysfunction?
Pilates is generally suitable for people of all ages, but some modifications may be needed for older adults or people with certain conditions. Considerations for older adults may include:
- Consult your doctor before starting Pilates
- Start with one-on-one sessions with a qualified instructor
- Some Pilates exercises may not be suitable for people with low bone density or osteoporosis
- Avoid excessive twisting and flexion when beginning Pilates exercises
6. What are the best ways to integrate Pilates with other treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction?
Pilates can be integrated with other treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction, such as physical therapy and Restore Your Core®, to improve pelvic floor strength and stability. Physical therapists often use Pilates as part of their treatment plans. For home programs, consider:
- Practicing regularly: Aim to practice Pilates several times a week
- Focusing on breathing: Use deep breathing to engage your pelvic floor muscles and reduce tension
- Being mindful: Pay attention to your body and adjust exercises if needed
- Using proper form: Controlled movements and proper form can help prevent injury
- Avoiding exercises that increase intra-abdominal pressure: Avoid exercises like double leg lowers and full 100 hundreds
- Focusing on gentle exercises: Gentle exercises like knee drops, knee floats, and pelvic floor activation can help strengthen a weak pelvic floor
