Pelvic Floor Recommendations

My top pelvic floor tips for bladder:

360° breathing - Sit with hands around your ribcage, fingers barely touching. Inhale and feel your ribs expand. Fingers may come apart slightly. Exhale with belly first and then allow ribs to follow. Repeat this breath several times. Try to keep your chest still and not raise up/shoulders stay relaxed. Belly can expand after your ribcage, but the goal is to expand your breath into your side and back ribs.

Adductor stretch - start in a kneeling lunge position (with bottom knee supported as needed). Tuck pelvis slightly under and shift weight into forward leg. Resist that motion by “as if” pushing back upright but stay in the stretch position. Come back upright and bring foot to a 45° angle. Repeat the weight shift into your lunge and also resist the motion. Come back upright and repeat the weight shift with front foot out beside you. Repeat all of these positions a couple of times and then repeat the whole sequence with the other leg.

Ribcage mobility - Sidelying “open book” - lie on your side with arms extended in front of you. Keeping hips stacked, slowly open your top arm over and away from your body, opening up through the chest. Return to starting position and repeat 3-4 more times. Switch sides and repeat. You can do this in bed or on the floor. Only move through the range that feels comfortable for you, and place a pillow behind you for your arm to land if needed. 

Urge suppression techniques :

  • think about completing 3-4 quick flicks of the pelvic floor

  • complete 10-15 calf raises to activate the posterior chain

  • let go of your upper abs - gripping increases downward pressure

The “knack” - sit or stand with good posture. Immediately before a cough, sneeze, or lifting, lift and squeeze the muscles around the urethra, vagina, and anus (similar to stopping the flow of urine or controlling gas). Hold this contraction firmly during the event. Completely relax the pelvic floor muscles after the pressure passes. Practice: Repeat this "quick flick" technique for every high-pressure action until it becomes a habit that happens automatically

Consider referring to pelvic floor therapy if your client complains of:

  • Stress or urge incontinence

  • Dyssynergia / retention

  • Pelvic pain / dyspareunia

  • Post-op recovery

    Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help With:

    Muscle retraining (strength & relaxation)

    Trigger point release & manual therapy

    Bladder & habit retraining

    Posture, breathing, lifestyle modification

    Nurse Tip:

    Patients often see immediate improvement in symptoms with early referral

    Many bladder symptoms are really muscle problems