According to research published in StatPearls, approximately 423 million people aged 20 and older worldwide suffer from urinary incontinence. Researchers found that practicing yoga reduced the number of incontinence episodes by an average of 2-3 times a day.
“Regular yoga practice stimulates the pelvic region, increases blood circulation and reduces stress in the bladder area. This contributes to better control of urges and reduces incontinence,” says Dr Hansaji Yogendra, President of the Yoga Society of India.
Some yoga poses to help control urinary incontinence
Wheel pose
- Stand up straight, arms relaxed along the body.
- Keep your feet parallel.
- Clench your fist and raise your arm close to your ear.
- Arch your back and push your hips forward.
- Hold your breath, keep the position.
- Lean forward, aligning your forehead with your knees. Swing your arms back and interlace your fingers.
- Hold the position while holding your breath, then inhale to return to an upright position.
Wheel pose improves flexibility and strengthens the pelvic floor muscles, which help with bladder control.
Hands on toes standing position
- Stand up straight with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
- Raise your right leg towards your right shoulder, using your right hand to grab your big toe.
- Hold the position and breathe deeply.
- Gently release, return to starting position and repeat with left leg.
This move helps improve balance, support the pelvic area, and reduce urinary incontinence.
Angle position
- Stand up straight, legs spread apart, arms raised to shoulder level, palms facing up.
- Spread your arms wide, tilt your neck to look at your right palm.
- Bend forward and rotate to touch your left toes with your right fingers, keeping your left arm extended straight up.
- Hold the position with your breath concentrated, release and stand up. Repeat on the other side.
This exercise helps stretch the pelvic area, strengthen the lower back and torso, and aid bladder control.
Butterfly Pose
- To do butterfly pose, sit with your legs straight and your arms placed alongside your body.
- Bend your knees outward and bring the soles of your feet together, heels close to the bottom of your pelvis.
- Press your knees down and hold the position for 1 - 2 minutes, breathing deeply.
- Relax by stretching your legs back to the starting position.
This exercise opens the hips and strengthens the pelvic floor muscles, which help control bladder movement.
