Pelvic Floor
Pelvic Floor Tension: Should you Stretch or Strengthen?
Feb
When we think of pelvic floor tension (a tight or ‘overactive’ pelvic floor), stretching often takes centre stage, stealing the limelight from strength. Many bodies do need pelvic floor relaxation or “letting go”, and gentle stretching can bring a real sense of relief. But is stretching alone creating lasting, meaningful change?
Your pelvic floor is a supportive web of muscles for your bladder, bowel and uterus. When it holds tension, you might notice discomfort, heaviness, constipation, urgency, or pain. In this post, we’ll cover a practical approach: breath + stretch + strength, to create change that actually lasts, by building better motor control (so you can relax and switch on when you need to).
Tension does NOT mean that you need to focus purely on stretching!
Signs of Pelvic Floor Tension
You might be experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction if you notice:
A burning sensation or discomfort in the vulvar / pelvic area.
Sharp cramps or spasms in the pelvis or anus
Pain during intercourse or insertion (like using a tampon). For more on this topic, see Why Pain During Sex Happens and What to Do About It.
Chronic lower back pain, groin pain or tension in your glutes.
Constipation and straining
Difficulty fully emptying your bladder or urinary incontinence. Click here for more on bladder leaks
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and NPH does not endorse any particular provider listed.
How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor
The good news? Tension in the pelvic floor is often treatable with simple exercises, awareness practices and pelvic health physio. Here are two effective ways to get started:
1. Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing
Similar to belly breathing but here, I want you to focus on your ribs expanding outwards (front, sides and back, sometimes referred to as 360 breathing). This technique promotes relaxation physically and physiologically.
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
- Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, allowing your ribs to expand outwards and stomach to rise gently.
- Exhale slowly through your nose or mouth.
- Tip: do not force your ribs to expand or your belly to rise, keep the movement gentle and relaxed. This can be frustrating at first but it will get easier in time.
2. Try the Happy Baby Stretch
This gentle yoga pose helps release tension in the hips and pelvic floor.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet in the air.
- Grab the outer edges of your feet and gently pull your knees toward your chest, feet facing the ceiling / sky.
- Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds while breathing deeply (as described in number 1).
- Tip: try keep your tail bone on the floor, if this stretch is too much for you then try half happy baby or frog pose
Half Happy Baby
Happy Baby pose Frog Variation
Tips to Manage Pelvic Floor Tension:
- Stress management (psychology, mindfulness, exercise)
- Posture (create a habit of changing postures when at work, stand from your desk, take breaths, try a few stretches)
- Sleep habits (~8 hours of sleep per night)
- Body awareness (reduce clenching jaw/ belly/ bum/ pelvic floor)
- Diet (dietitian, a well rounded diet to aid bowel and bladder health, consult with a professional re. IBS / IBD)
- Exercise (combination of strength, cardiovascular, stretch and mobility)
Visualise Why Relaxation Takes Time
Relaxation work can be frustrating.
Imagine clenching your fist and keeping it that way for some time, you will start to notice your palms becoming pale and muscle tension building from you hand and down to your arm, once you let go you may feel stiff and you might even have pins and needles. Now picture how this might feel if you did it regularly. Sometimes we have this subconscious habit within our pelvic floor (and often times our jaw). This clenching habit may occur when you are stressed, focussing at work, sitting for long periods, resulting in muscle tension and associated soft tissue changes (just like your clenched fist).
Just as your clenched fist takes a moment to regain full function after you let go, so does your pelvic floor. Patience is key. Over time, consistent effort in reducing tension can help improve your posture, circulation, nerve function and overall pelvic health.
If you’re struggling with persistent symptoms, don’t hesitate to seek help. A pelvic health physiotherapist can provide tailored advice and exercises to help you understand your pelvic muscles, improve awareness, regain full range of motion in your pelvic floor muscles as well as manage any dysfunction (pain, constipation, bladder leaks).
Should I Stretch or Strengthen my Pelvic Floor?
We’ve spoken about using breath and stretch opportunities to kick-start that “letting go” feeling (with the added bonus of calming and down-regulating the nervous system). And as I’ve mentioned before, it’s not all about stretching.
So… should you also do general strengthening? Should you do Kegels?
Yes.
When we strengthen through a full range of motion (both generally and for the pelvic floor) we build motor control. That means control not only over shortening muscle fibres, but also over lengthening them. And that’s what we’re after: the ability to relax and let go on demand.
Comprehensive strengthening can also improve body awareness, blood flow, and muscle compliance (how well tissue adapts and yields), among other benefits.
It’s also worth remembering: “tight” muscles are often weak muscles. Building strength gives you the capacity to support flexibility, reduce protective tension, and improve overall muscle health.
