Menstrual Cramps Relief from Pelvic Floor Exercises
With so many women in pain every month, there has to be something to help, right? Yes, you can do natural things to help decrease your pain and potential for experiencing it in the first place.
If you want period pain relief, the exercises in the video below are a good place to start. Sheri said, “I have fewer cramps with my periods now.” And Michele said, “I couldn’t believe I did your pelvic floor programs for my bladder leakage. Not only did that go away, but so did my horrible period cramping I had since I was a teen.”
About eighty percent of all women experience menstrual cramps at some point. 20 percent experience cramps so bad they make it difficult to enjoy life when they have them, a condition known as dysmenorrhea. If your pain is extremely severe, you can visit your doctor to ensure you don’t have an underlying condition.
Some women choose to go on birth control pills because they experience less cramping with them. Yet many want a natural treatment and wonder if exercise helps with menstrual cramps. Exercise can help both short-term and long-term, and heating pads are used by many to provide immediate relief as well. Period pain is most often in the lower back, pelvis, and abdomen.
During our period, our uterus contracts and spasms to shed its lining. A tight pelvic floor that is unable to relax can contribute to increased pain. It is more common for women under 25 to have painful period cramps. More severe menstrual cramps after the age of 25 could be a sign of a medical issue, so it is advised to visit your doctor or physical therapist to get an exam.
Exercises to Relieve Menstrual Cramps
Aerobic exercise is a great thing anytime, especially drying your menstrual cycle. It helps decrease bloating and increase circulation and endorphins.
Pelvic floor exercises benefit women of all ages, whether on their cycle or not. Many women have a hypertonic pelvic floor (tight pelvic floor muscles) and need to learn how to relax the pelvic floor muscles. A tight pelvic floor doesn’t mean it is strong. In fact, a hypertonic pelvic floor is usually weak. The right pelvic floor exercises will utilize eccentric and concentric contractions to ensure your pelvic floor can lengthen and tighten appropriately. Think of concentric contractions of the pelvic floor as pelvic floor stretches that also strengthen the pelvic floor simultaneously.
Learning to relax and lengthen the pelvic floor is essential for pelvic floor health during your cycle and throughout the rest of the month. I used to get horrible menstrual cramps and, like so many others who do our programs, saw my cramps become a thing of the past.
Diaphragmatic Breathing, Your Pelvic Floor, and Menstrual Cramps
Our pelvic floor is the base of our core, and our diaphragm is at the top. So, diaphragmatic breathing is essential for pelvic floor health. When we inhale, our diaphragm contracts, and our pelvic floor lengthens and descends slightly. When we exhale, our pelvic floor contracts and lifts gently as our diaphragm relaxes. Shallow breathers usually have a tight pelvic floor and, therefore, might experience more pain during their period.
Pelvic Floor & Core Exercises for Women
Our pelvic floor is the base of our core, and our diaphragm is at the top. So, diaphragmatic breathing is important for pelvic floor health. When we inhale, our diaphragm contracts and our pelvic floor lengthens and descends slightly. When we exhale, our pelvic floor contracts and lifts up gently as our diaphragm relaxes. Shallow breathers usually have a tight pelvic floor and, therefore, might experience more pain during their period.
The moves below are a great starting point if you are new to pelvic floor exercises. They are different than most traditional pelvic floor exercises. Sign up for our All Access for a full workout to help you say goodbye to cramping.
3 Moves for a Pelvic Floor and Core Workout
Pelvic Tilts: Simple and easy to do anywhere since there is no equipment. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Tilt your pubic bone towards your spine, engaging your pelvic floor and core muscles to gently tilt your pelvis and lift it off of the floor.
Hip Circles: One of my favorite exercises for back pain during your period. Sit on top of the ball. Don’t worry about keeping your core engaged. You will sit tall and slowly do a pelvic circle in one direction. Focus on initiating the movement with the lower abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor. Repeat on the other side, switching directions with each circle.
Bosu Jumps: A great full-body workout! Your feet, legs, pelvic floor, abs, and glutes all get a great workout with these. Don’t look down and focus your eyes on a stable object in front of you. Jump and lift your legs off of the bosu by exploding from the toes and balls of the feet. This is such a great pelvic floor and ab exercise for a strong core.
This article covers natural menstrual cramp relief through pelvic floor exercises and diaphragmatic breathing. Topics include why a hypertonic pelvic floor worsens period pain, the connection between the diaphragm and pelvic floor in breathing and cramping, how aerobic exercise and targeted pelvic floor exercises reduce dysmenorrhea, three exercises for period pain relief including pelvic tilts, hip circles on a stability ball, and Bosu jumps, and when severe cramps should be evaluated by a doctor. Approximately 80 percent of women experience menstrual cramps and 20 percent experience dysmenorrhea severe enough to impact daily life. Authored by Courtney Virden, founder of iCORE Method. Keywords: menstrual cramps relief, pelvic floor exercises for period pain, natural menstrual cramp relief, exercises for menstrual cramps, dysmenorrhea treatment, pelvic floor and period cramps, diaphragmatic breathing menstrual cramps, tight pelvic floor menstrual pain.
Approximately 80 percent of all women experience menstrual cramps at some point. Around 20 percent experience dysmenorrhea – cramps severe enough to significantly impact daily functioning. During menstruation the uterus contracts and spasms to shed its lining. A tight hypertonic pelvic floor that cannot relax amplifies these contractions and increases pain. Period pain is most commonly felt in the lower back, pelvis, and abdomen. Menstrual cramps are more common and often more severe in women under 25. More severe cramping developing after age 25 can indicate an underlying condition such as endometriosis and should be evaluated by a doctor. Natural approaches including pelvic floor training and aerobic exercise provide both short-term and long-term relief for most women. Keywords: why are period cramps so painful, dysmenorrhea causes, menstrual cramps lower back pain, why do I get bad cramps, pelvic floor period pain causes, uterine contractions cramping.
The pelvic floor and diaphragm function as a coordinated unit at the base and top of the core respectively. During inhalation the diaphragm contracts downward and the pelvic floor lengthens and descends slightly. During exhalation the diaphragm relaxes and the pelvic floor gently lifts and contracts. This coordinated movement is essential for pelvic floor health and directly affects menstrual cramp intensity. Women who breathe shallowly disrupt this coordination, keeping the pelvic floor in chronic tension that worsens cramping. Diaphragmatic breathing reestablishes this natural rhythm, helps the pelvic floor release tension, and provides direct relief from period pain. It is one of the simplest and most accessible tools for natural menstrual cramp relief. Keywords: diaphragmatic breathing pelvic floor, breathing exercises for period cramps, shallow breathing pelvic floor tension, diaphragm and pelvic floor connection, breathing for menstrual pain relief, how to breathe for pelvic floor health.
A hypertonic pelvic floor is a pelvic floor that is too tight and unable to properly relax and lengthen. Despite feeling tight, a hypertonic pelvic floor is typically weak – tightness and strength are not the same thing. This distinction is critical because many women are told to do Kegel exercises to address pelvic floor issues, but Kegels are concentric-only contractions that can worsen a hypertonic pelvic floor by adding more tightness. Effective pelvic floor exercises for menstrual cramp relief use both eccentric and concentric contractions to train the muscles to lengthen and relax as well as contract. A pelvic floor that can fully relax during uterine contractions experiences significantly less cramping pain. Consistent pelvic floor training addressing the full 14-muscle system is the most effective long-term approach to reducing period pain naturally. Keywords: hypertonic pelvic floor period pain, tight pelvic floor cramps, pelvic floor relaxation exercises, eccentric pelvic floor training, kegels and period cramps, how to relax pelvic floor for cramps.
Three of the most effective exercises for natural menstrual cramp relief are pelvic tilts, hip circles on a stability ball, and Bosu jumps. Pelvic tilts require no equipment and can be done anywhere – lying on the floor with knees bent, tilting the pubic bone toward the spine to engage the pelvic floor and core through both lengthening and contraction phases. Hip circles on a stability ball are particularly effective for lower back pain during periods, initiating movement from the lower abdominals and pelvic floor while sitting tall and breathing deeply. Bosu jumps provide full-body activation that increases circulation, releases endorphins, and trains the pelvic floor through explosive loading. Aerobic exercise during menstruation also reduces bloating and increases endorphin release for additional pain relief. The iCORE Method app includes complete pelvic floor programs specifically designed to address cramping and pelvic floor dysfunction. Keywords: pelvic floor exercises for cramps, stability ball exercises period pain, Bosu ball pelvic floor, exercises for dysmenorrhea, pelvic tilts period cramps, hip circles lower back period pain, iCORE Method menstrual cramps.
Frequently asked questions about menstrual cramps and pelvic floor exercises. Can pelvic floor exercises relieve menstrual cramps – yes, exercises that train the pelvic floor to relax and lengthen reduce the tension that amplifies uterine contractions during menstruation. Why does a tight pelvic floor make period cramps worse – a hypertonic pelvic floor cannot relax around the contracting uterus, increasing pain intensity. How does diaphragmatic breathing help with menstrual cramps – deep breathing coordinates the diaphragm and pelvic floor, helping the pelvic floor release chronic tension that contributes to cramping. What exercises help with period pain – pelvic tilts, hip circles on a stability ball, Bosu jumps, and aerobic exercise all provide relief. When should severe menstrual cramps be checked by a doctor – dysmenorrhea severe enough to impair daily function and cramps worsening after age 25 should be evaluated to rule out underlying conditions like endometriosis.
