How To Reset Your Pelvic Floor Muscles After Vacation
- ereul93
- Apr 5
- 3 min read
Hi friends! It’s spring break season. While it can often be a time to relax, indulge, and explore, but it can also take a toll on your pelvic floor. Long flights, extended road trips, and changes in routine can make pelvic floor symptoms worse. Whether you've been sitting for hours, enjoying rich foods, or skipping your usual exercise routine, a post-vacation pelvic floor reset can help restore balance and prevent discomfort. Here are six tips to help recover and feel your best:
#1 Hydration and Nutrition Reset
Traveling often leads to dehydration and digestive issues, which can contribute to both bowel and bladder symptoms. Replenish your system with:
Plenty of water to support bladder function and prevent constipation.
Fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to promote healthy digestion.
Magnesium-rich foods (e.g., spinach, nuts, bananas) to relax pelvic muscles and ease bloating.
Limit intake of bladder irritants like caffeine, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners for a few days.
#2 Breathing Exercises for Pelvic Floor Relaxation
Deep breathing helps reset the nervous system and release pelvic floor tension:
Diaphragmatic breathing: Lie down or sit comfortably, inhale deeply through your nose, expanding your belly, and exhale slowly through your mouth.
360-degree breathing: Visualize your breath expanding in all directions—front, sides, and back—to promote full relaxation.
#3 Gentle Pelvic Floor Stretches
If your pelvic muscles feel tight, these stretches can provide relief:
Child’s Pose: Sit back on your heels, reaching your arms forward to stretch the lower back and pelvic floor.
Deep squat stretch: Hold onto a stable surface and drop into a deep squat, keeping your heels on the ground.
Butterfly stretch: Sit with the soles of your feet together, gently pressing your knees toward the floor.
#4 Good Bathroom Habits
Travel can disrupt bathroom habits, leading to urinary urgency or constipation. Reset your system by:
Maintaining a bathroom routine even if your schedule was off during vacation.
Using proper toileting posture: Keep your feet elevated on a small stool when using the toilet to reduce straining and keep your knees wide apart.
Lengthen the pelvic floor muscles: Be sure to allow the pelvic floor muscles to lengthen and relax to allow urine or poop to pass out. Saying “Grrr” can help encourage lengthening of the muscles.
#5 Reintroduce Core and Pelvic Floor Strengthening
If your exercise routine was interrupted, ease back into strengthening:
Bridge exercises: Lie on your back, lift your hips, and engage your glutes.
Seated pelvic floor muscle contractions: Gently contract and relax your pelvic muscles to restore strength.
Walking and light movement: Low-impact activity helps re-engage your core and pelvic stability.
#6 Self-Care and Mindful Relaxation
Travel can be stressful, which can lead to pelvic floor tension. These techniques can help both the pelvic floor muscles and the surrounding muscles let go of tension:
Warm baths with Epsom salt to relax muscles.
Mindfulness or meditation to reduce stress-related tightness.
A post-spring break pelvic floor reset helps you return to your daily routine feeling comfortable and balanced. By integrating movement, hydration, breathing, and relaxation techniques, you can support your pelvic health and enjoy the benefits of your travels without lingering discomfort.
If you frequently experience symptoms of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction a pelvic floor physical or occupational therapist can be a great resource. You can find one near you at www.mypfm.com/find-a-pt.
To learn more about your pelvic floor muscles, check out these great resources:
Watch our YouTube playlist on Pelvic Physical Therapy
Learn more about your pelvic floor on our Instagram
Visit our Amazon store for our favorite pelvic health products
Sign up for our email newsletter
Learn more about the pelvic floor muscles with our book: My Pelvic Floor Muscles The Basics: Learn where the pelvic floor muscles are, what they do, and how they work
For providers, check out myPFM Academy to learn more so you can better help your clients. With two membership options, you have access to courses, a growing library of patient handouts, hundreds of custom sharable images and infographics, and multilingual resources.
Written by Emily Reul, PT, DPT