For years, Sarah (52) lived her life in 20-minute increments — the maximum amount of time she felt she could go without scouting for a bathroom. What began as a "annoying leak" when she sneezed eventually turned into a constant, heavy pressure in her pelvis that made even a short walk through the grocery store feel like a marathon.

"I just assumed this was the tax you paid for having children and getting older," Sarah says. "I stopped running. I stopped wearing light-colored pants. I started shrinking my life to fit my bladder."

It wasn't until a routine exam that Sarah learned she wasn't just "aging" — she was living with stage 2 pelvic organ prolapse. Her pelvic floor muscles, the "hammock" that holds everything in place, had become so tight and stressed that they were no longer functioning.

The turning point came when her physical therapist explained that Sarah didn't need to "squeeze" more (the standard Kegel advice); she needed to release. By implementing a 5-minute daily routine of intentional pelvic floor stretches, Sarah began to "unlearn" the tension.

"Within three weeks, that heavy 'bowling ball' feeling in my pelvis started to lift," Sarah says. "I wasn't just dry; I was comfortable in my own skin again. I realized I hadn't been broken—I just needed to learn how to let go."

4 Simple Pelvic Floor Stretches That Relieve Pelvic
Pain and Urinary Urgency in Just 5 Minutes

Chances are you've heard about the benefits of strengthening your pelvic floor with kegel exercises. The pelvic floor muscles help stabilize the core and support the bladder, bowel and uterus. When these muscles are weak, you may experience pelvic pain or bladder leaks.

But what you may not realize is that pelvic floor stretches are just as important. Tight pelvic muscles — a condition known as hypertonic pelvic floor — can lead to discomfort, urinary urgency, constipation and painful intercourse.

“Pelvic floor stretching and strengthening are both very important in order to improve full range of motion and control,” says Grace Prete, DPT, a physical therapist at Center for Gynecology and Cosmetics in Chicago. “Stretching will help with pain, urinary urgency and frequency.”

To make it easier to stick to a stretching routine, Prete suggests “habit stacking”—doing these four stretches immediately after another daily habit, like during a workout cooldown or after walking your dog.

1. Happy Baby

• Start by lying on your back with your legs up in the air and heels toward the ceiling.

• Drawing your knees towards your chest, reach up and grab the outer edge of each foot. Keep your elbows on the inside of your legs.

• Separate your knees and gently pull your feet down, letting your knees drop to either side of your torso until you feel a gentle stretch.

• Hold for a minute, then slowly return to the starting position.

2. Child’s Pose

• Start by kneeling on the floor, sitting back on your heels.

• Exhale as you bend at the hips, lower your chest to your thighs and rest your forehead on the floor.

• Your arms can be reaching out in front of you with palms down on the floor or resting beside you with palms facing upwards.

• Breathe deeply and relax into the pose for one minute.

3. Deep Squat Stretch

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and toes turned slightly outward.

• Keeping your chest lifted and feet flat on the floor, bend your knees and lower into a deep squat. Drop your hips as low as you comfortably can.

• Hold the squat at the bottom for a few breaths, then return to a standing position.

4. Frog Pose

• Begin in a tabletop position with your hands and knees on the floor.

• Shift your weight to your hands and slide your knees out to the side, keeping your knees in line with your ankles.

• Turn your toes out to the side and rest your forearms on the ground. Sink your hips back for a deeper stretch.

• Hold, then slowly return to the starting position.