Pelvic tilts exercise your pelvic floor and gently stretch your back. Pelvic tilts are particularly beneficial to women who are recovering from childbirth or who are over the age of 65. Having a strong pelvic floor---the network of muscles and ligaments that support the uterus, vagina, bladder, urethra and rectum---can dramatically reduce a woman's chances of urinary incontinence. Pelvic tilts can be performed from a variety of different positions and are simple to do at home.
Supine Pelvic Tilt
Lie on the floor or a bed with your spine in a neutral position---neither arched nor tilted forward. Inhale and allow your lungs to fill up. Exhale as you pull your navel toward your spine and your spine toward the floor, tilting only your pelvis toward the ceiling and holding for approximately 10 seconds. Return to a neutral position. Repeat eight to 10 times.
Seated Pelvic Tilt
Do a seated pelvic tilt on an exercise ball or any chair that allows your knee joints to create a 90-degree angle when you sit down. Begin the exercise with good seated posture. Your torso should be stacked right over your hips; your shoulders should be aligned over your torso and drawn away from your ears. Inhale as you engage your abdominals and isolate your pelvis. Tilt your pelvis toward the back of your chair or exercise ball. Exhale and pull your navel in toward your stomach and tilt your pelvis toward your knees. Repeat eight to 10 times.
Seated Pelvic Circles
Perform seated pelvic circles on an exercise ball rather than a chair to ensure that your pelvis is able to achieve full range of motion. Sit on your ball with bare feet or shoes with traction. (Using an exercise ball with socks can lead to slipping off the ball and may result in an injury.) Align your shoulders, torso and hips in one straight line and pretend there is a string attached to the top of your head, drawing your entire body up toward the ceiling. Pull your navel in toward your stomach and place your hands on your hips. Begin to slowly create a circular motion with your pelvis, first moving clockwise three to five times, then counterclockwise for the same number of repetitions. Continue to breathe naturally throughout the exercise.
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