Safe & Supportive Exercises for Bladder Prolapse

Recommended Exercises for Bladder Prolapse

Some exercises that can ease the prolapsed bladder symptoms are:

a. Hypopressives (Pelvic Floor Lift Without Strain)

These exercises use special breathing techniques to lift your pelvic organs without straining them. You do not need to squeeze your muscles directly; instead, your body creates a "vacuum" that supports the bladder. It is best to learn this method from someone trained in it.

b. Heel Slides with Breath

This gentle move connects your breath to your core and pelvic floor. While lying on your back, slide one heel along the floor while breathing out and engage your lower abdominals. This causes your core to work with your breath while keeping your pelvis steady.

c. Pelvic Tilts to Reconnect to Deep Core

Pelvic tilts help you find your deep abdominal muscles and strengthen them. To do this, lie down with your knees bent and take a breath into your ribs and engage pelvic floor and lower abdominals as you tilt your pubic bone to the ceiling, rolling up through the spine. Take a breath into your ribs at the top and roll down through the spine as exhale using your abdominals to control the movement. Focus on slow, controlled movement for a better result.

d. Aphrodite Pose

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flexed. Keep your arms by your side, with your palms facing downwards. Take three breaths and an apnea and then push your heels into the ground and float your pelvis up reaching through the knees, taking your arms back behind you. Then, take a breath and roll back down.

Postural Re-education

Posture might not seem related to bladder issues, but it is. When your ribcage sits directly over your pelvis, your core works as it should. This balance lets your diaphragm and pelvic floor move together and share the pressure.

Slouching or arching your lower back too much throws this balance off. Both postures push pressure into the pelvis in different ways, which can worsen prolapse.

Even your head position matters in this case. Forward head posture changes how your spine lines up and increases stress down the chain. Proper posture makes it easier to breathe well and move in a way that protects your pelvic floor.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Doing exercises can improve the condition of a prolapsed bladder. However, you should be aware of some common mistakes that can worsen the problem:

1. Holding your breath: Many people hold their breath while lifting or straining. Doing this pushes down hard on your pelvic organs and works against your recovery.
2. Bearing down or gripping: Tensing your thighs or clenching your abs might seem helpful, but it adds more pressure to the wrong areas. Pelvic floor exercises should feel more like a lift than a push.
3. Jumping into intense workouts: Your pelvic floor needs time to rebuild strength. Running, jumping, or heavy lifting too soon can make symptoms worse. Start slow and focus on regaining control of that organ over the intensity of your workouts.

Getting Started With Hypopressives

For the Hypopressives classes it is important that you learn the Breathing/Apnea technique properly so that you can get the most out of the classes and the time you invest in yourself. Each week Simone runs Fundamentals sessions on Zoom where she explains the technique and guides you through all the steps.

She will also give you feedback to make sure that you're doing it correctly. For some, the technique may come more quickly than others. Some of her clients, who are tighter in the ribs and thoracic spine do tend to take a little longer. And here's the golden rule - for impactful change, Simone recommends at least three 15 to 20-minute workouts per week. Consistency is your best friend on this journey towards wellness.