Pelvic Exercises For Rehab

Whether you're recuperating from a broken hip, a hip replacement surgery or a pelvic floor surgery, learning exercises for rehabilitation is integral to returning to form. The pelvis is a group of bones at the base of the spine that are held together by strong ligaments. The pelvis forms one large and two smaller rings that protect and support the bladder, intestines and rectum, as well as leg movement. Pelvic injuries can range from mild, requiring rehab exercises alone, to severe, requiring surgery or hip replacement. Consult with your doctor before performing any rehabilitation exercises.

Hip Replacement Surgery

Experts at the U. S. National Library of Medicine advise that because hip replacement usually occurs after months, or even years of muscle disuse, rehabilitation exercises might need to begin from the ground up. After hip replacement surgery, muscles will be weak. When you have recuperated enough from the actual surgery, recommendations include walking 100 yards at a time, slowly walking up and down the stairs several times per day, and walking around the block a few times per day. Lying down on your back and squeezing buttocks muscles and holding for five to 10 seconds can also awaken atrophied muscles and strengthen your pelvic area.

Arthritic Pain or Hip Joint Pain

If you have pain from arthritis or stiffness in the hip joints, walking to limber up your joints is also beneficial. Also, try exercises such as the straight leg raise. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift one foot and straighten your leg, then raise it as high as you can and gently lower it to the ground, repeating several times for both legs. This exercise will increase muscle mass, which takes some of the stress of movement off of your joints. Other muscle-increasing exercises to relieve joint stress include holding a sturdy chair back while standing straight and slowly bringing your leg out behind you or a variation of the same, bringing your leg out to the side, rather than straight back.

Overuse Injuries

Often, if you're a weekend athlete or you overuse your hip joints, you can cause stress fractures or painful joint injuries to your pelvic area. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons advises that grown teens involved in sports or adults who over-stress the pelvis through exercise should take a step back and rehabilitate the pelvis with exercises such as walking or leg-lifts from a prone position. Avoid any painful activity until the bone is fully healed.

Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation

In addition to bones and joints, often after pregnancy or surgical procedures women and men need to rehabilitate the muscles of the pelvic floor, or area around the bladder and genitals. Men who have had prostate surgery or women who have urinary incontinence issues after pregnancy or surgery should rehabilitate pelvic muscles using the Kegal exercise, which requires pulling your pelvic muscles in and holding them several times in succession. Pretend that you have to urinate, and hold it by tightening those muscles. Hold for five to 10 seconds and repeat, attempting to keep the muscles tighter each time. This one exercise cannot only combat incontinence, but can also improve sexual health. Because this exercise is invisible to others, you can practice Kegal movements anywhere.