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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