Yoga Poses for Incontinence
Today, Yoga is practised all over the world for a variety of reasons, including breath control and meditation. It not only reduces stress or anxiety but also acts as a good remedy for many health issues or diseases, such as arthritis, migraine, thyroid, and diabetes. On an interesting note, it has also been found to be useful in fighting urinary incontinence.
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary release of urine from the bladder. As per a Yoga program conducted for women with incontinence in San Francisco, it has been noticed that Yoga, along with proper training, can lead to a substantial decrement in incontinence episodes among women.
Other than adult diapers, there are many other ways to manage incontinence, such as bladder training, Kegel exercises, and double voiding. Considering, there are certain yoga poses that help you strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and attain bladder control, it is quite evident that Yoga can be highly beneficial for women with incontinence. So, it is a great alternative to Kegel exercises and bladder training. Here are the Yoga poses that can help women with incontinence manage it effectively:
1) Squat Pose
Also known as Malasana, in the squat pose, firstly, you stand with your legs spread wider than the hip distance and turn your toes outward enough to keep them wider than the heels. Now, bend your knees enough to bring your hips lower than them, adjoin your palms, and align your elbows at the backsides of your knees. Secondly, push the elbows into the knees, in order to expose the hips. Thirdly, try to elevate your chest enough to stretch your back and hold it for approximately 30 seconds. Lastly, sit on your bottoms and relax.
2) Triangle Pose
Also known as Trikonasana, this pose requires you to stand with your legs spread wide enough to form a triangle with the floor as the base. Now, you need to turn your right foot 90 degrees and place the right heel in parallel to the centre of the left foot’s arch, followed by deep inhaling. While you exhale, bend to the right from the hips and ensure that your back is straight while you do it. Now, align your right hand downward and point your left hand above. Take deep breaths while retaining this pose and then come up after inhaling. Finally, relax your arms and bring them back to the normal position across your sides and keep your feet straight.
3) Chair Pose
Also known as Utkatasana, in this pose, firstly, you are supposed to stand with your legs facing forward, spread as wide as the hip-width. Secondly, inhale as you move your palms above your head, facing forward, and move your hips downward enough to form the chair pose. Thirdly, transfer your weight down into your heels and move your buttocks downward enough to bring them lower than the knees while pointing them forward. Fourthly, move your shoulders down, make an arch with your spine, and breathe properly for approximately 5 minutes. Now, relax, inhale, and gradually align your legs straight. Lastly, move your arms up as you stretch and exhale, and then align your hands sideways.
So, if you want to manage your incontinence perfectly well, do these yoga poses on a regular basis. Besides, this will also help you reduce the accompanying stress or anxiety to a significant extent, thereby leaving you with a relaxed mind.
