Is yoga among your wellness routines? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
It’s not funny when you cough or laugh and then pee in your pants. It’s a loss of bladder control called stress incontinence.
This can also happen with a sneeze, jump or lift.
The culprit? Partly Mother Time.
As one ages, one doesn’t just sag externally but internally, says Jana Long, 73, a Baltimore, MD, yoga educator and therapist for older adults.
The internal includes your pelvic floor, a muscle hammock that keeps your vagina, bladder and rectum in place.
Add to the tab of time: pregnancies, weight gain, hysterectomy, chronic coughs and more.
You’re not alone if you gotta go while on the go. Actor Taraji P. Henson, actress and entrepreneur Tabitha Brown and comedians Whoopi Goldberg and Kym Whitley all ‘fess up on camera.
“Doctors are well versed in it because the prevalence is so high,” says Tracey Small Wilson, MD, FACS, a urologist with specialty training in urogynecology and a urology and reconstructive pelvic surgery professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
But you shouldn’t have to sacrifice playtime with your kids, grandkids or partner.
Instead, don't give into pee pressure. Try yoga.
“Even five minutes a day goes a long way if you practice regularly,” Long says. “It builds strength, including your pelvic floor.”
She suggests six yoga postures to gird your loins. Empty your bladder before working out. And check with your health care provider before adopting a new fitness routine.
Poses to Support Pelvic Floor Tone and Bladder Control
ONE: PELVIC TILT
To start: Lie on the floor, face up. Bend your knees till the soles of your feet are flat on the floor, about hip-width apart and with toes forward. Your arms should be comfortable at your sides, palms down.
The move: Tilt your pelvis up while keeping your back and feet planted on the floor. Inhale as you tilt, hold the breath, and hold the tilt for a few seconds. Then exhale as you lower.
Form: Do not allow your knees to splay outward. Draw them slightly toward your core or midbody. Your spine should remain straight.
Easier way: If you struggle to lower yourself onto the floor and get up unassisted, you can perform this exercise on your bed.
The reward: “This is a great pelvic floor tightener,” Long says.
TWO: PELVIC LIFT
To start: Think of this as a pelvic tilt plus. As with pelvic tilts, lie on the floor face up, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, toes pointed forward and spine straight.
The move: Now press your feet into the floor and lift your buttocks, lower back and, if you can, your mid-back.
Form: Your shoulder blades and the back of your head should stay on the floor. Focus on keeping your hips even, rather than leaning to one side. Your spine should be straight.
Easier way: Do this on your bed.
The reward: You should feel your pelvic area and front thighs tightening. Strong thighs make it easier to get in and out of a chair. Hallelujah!
THREE: BLOCK AND BELLY SQUEEZE
To start: Get on your back, knees bent, and feet flat.
The move: Do a pelvic lift, only higher, while holding a block or thick book between your inner thighs.
Form: Rest your arms on the floor to each side, palms down. Shoulder blades should stay on the floor.
Easier way: Do this on your bed.
The reward: Your pelvic floor is strengthened when going up and down.
FOUR: CAT/COW
To start: Get on your hands and knees, with your back forming a tabletop.
The move: Lift your head to gaze up, while letting your belly hang—the cow. Then look down, tucking not only your chin but your pelvis. This rounds your back like an angry cat.
Form: Don’t lean as you move.
Easier way: Sit in a chair, hands on knees. Look down while rounding your back and look up while arching it.
The Reward: It’s a two-fer. You strengthen your pelvic floor while stretching your back.
FIVE: MULA BANDHA
To start: Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front. Feel the sitz bones, which protrude downward when you are seated (if you place your hands under your hips, you will feel them on either side).
The move: As if praying, bring your hands together. Press your palms against each other with fingers pointed upward, at heart level but not touching your chest. Take a deep breath as you raise your hands over your head, holding your breath and squeezing as if you have to pee badly. Hold. Then slowly exhale, lowering your hands and arms till they’re back to heart level. Relax your pelvic floor and take another deep breath.
Form: Keep your back straight and sit as though hinged at the hips.
Easier way: You can do this seated on a chair. Both feet should be planted on the floor, and your back should be straight, not resting on the chair back. Don’t feel bad if you can’t do this on the floor. Few of us are as flexible as a cheerleader.
The reward: You’re strengthening the pelvic floor and vaginal walls, which may aid you during sex. “Mula bandha is similar to Kegel exercises that you’re taught in childbirth classes,” Long says.
SIX: STAFF POSE
To start: Sit on the floor with your legs extended directly in front. Place your hands next to each hip. Your palms should be down, and your fingers should point toward your toes.
The move: Press your sitz (sitting) bones into the floor. Keep your eyes focused directly ahead. Straighten your back and lift your chest. Hold for 20 seconds, while breathing normally.
Form: If you gaze directly in front of you, the crown of your head should be level, not tilted.
Easier way: You can sit in a chair with your palms face down on your knees. Press your sitting bones into the chair. Raise your chest and straighten your back.
The reward: You can improve your posture while strengthening your pelvic floor.
Is yoga among your wellness routines? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
