Yoga for Endometriosis Treatment: 9 Best Yoga Poses for Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain

“When I first got diagnosed with endometriosis, I had all kinds of suggestions coming in from friends and family to distant never-knew-they-existed relatives, from paleo diet to acupuncture, to all kinds of surgeries. And when you come from a family of doctors, you know things you don’t even have to search for. I was on medications anyway, so I didn’t try anything extra. But my mom was being very insistent on me trying yoga, so I gave it a try just to make her happy. I have to admit, while yoga is not a snake-oil-miracle-cure, it certainly was one of the best decisions I made when it comes to my endometriosis.” - Aditi Pant, a resident of Bangalore

Yoga and endometriosis. Together they seem a little mismatched, but the testimonies of people having benefited from doing yoga poses while suffering from endometriosis is a lot.

Yoga is a tool for managing many types of chronic pain conditions – including endometriosis, a condition in which cells similar to that of the uterus lining grow outside the uterus.

Living with endometriosis, in a cycle of pain, can be physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting; and yoga offers several healing benefits that can help you. This entire blog is about the benefits of yoga for endometriosis and pelvic pain with nine yoga poses you should definitely try. Let's dive in hoping you find your perfect match. 😊

How can yoga help ease pain from endometriosis and pelvic pain?

Living with endometriosis is living in a cycle of pain. Yoga can disrupt this cycle by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, a network of nerves that relax your body after periods of stress and danger and promotes a feeling of calm and recovery. It brings your body into a place where you can heal and rest.

To back this claim up, a small study conducted in 2018 proved that women who practiced yoga twice a week for 8 weeks improved their introspective ability and mind-body connection, which had a positive impact on pain management.

There are many more research and studies proving the positive effects of specific yoga poses on endometriosis-related pain, but it would take up an entire blog by itself. But just right below are the specific yoga poses for endometriosis.

9 Yoga Poses for Endometriosis

Restorative Goddess Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

What it does:

It helps relieve pelvic pain, reduce abdominal tightness, balance your nervous system, relax and open the chest wall, hips and inner thighs.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with the soles of your feet on the floor.
• Bend and open your knees out to either side bringing the soles of your feet together.
• Your arms can be in any comfortable position – overhead, by your sides, resting on your thighs, or out in a T-shape.
• Stay in this pose for some minutes as gravity works to deepen your stretch. Focus on breathing deeply.

Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

What it does:

Improves your spinal mobility and stretches your chest, back and glutes.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your legs outstretched.
• Relax your arms in a T-position with your palms against the floor.
• Bend only your right knee and place the sole of your right foot on the left knee.
• As you exhale, drop the right knee over to the left side of your body while twisting the spine and lower back.
• Keep your shoulder flat to the floor, close your eyes, and relax into the pose.
• Relax into the pose and take 5-10 deep breaths.
• To get out of the pose: Inhale and return your knees to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side.

Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)

What it does:

Relaxes your pelvic floor muscles, relieves pain in your lower back muscles, inner thighs, and hamstrings.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back.
• Bending your knees towards your chest, raise the soles of your feet towards the ceiling.
• Wrap your first two fingers around your big toes and slightly pull down. You can also grab your feet around the arch.
• Take your time and breathe deeply while focusing on releasing tension in your hips and pelvic floor.
• Hold this pose for upto 1 minute.

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

What it does:

Stretches your spine, glutes, and hips, helping to alleviate cramping, tension, and stress.

How to do it:

• Start on all fours and lower your hips and place them on your heels.
• Place your knees slightly wider than your hips and bend forward folding from your hips.
• Extend your arms in front or alongside your body.
• Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

What it does:

Relaxes pelvic floor muscles, alleviates cramping, and improves blood circulation.

How to do it:

• Sit on the floor facing the wall, then lower your head and shoulders to the floor and lie on your side.
• Roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall, moving your tailbone closer to the wall. Your tailbone doesn’t need to touch the wall though.
• Find a comfortable position for your arms with your palms turned up.
• Relax into this position and hold it for up to 15 minutes.

Reclined Hero Pose (Supta Virasana)

What it does:

Helps relieve pain, discomfort, and bloating by gently stretching your abdomen and pelvis.

How to do it:

• Start in a kneeling position with the tops (the dark side) of your feet touching the ground.
• Move your feet wider than your hips and rest your buttocks on the floor between your feet.
• Slowly lean back with the help of your forearms and elbows for support and lie down on your back.
• Place your arm next to your body in a slight angle like an arrow.
• Hold this pose for up to a minute.

Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

What it does:

Calms your nervous system and relieves stress and discomfort.

How to do it:

• In a seated position, press the soles of your feet together with your knees out to your sides.
• Slowly lie down on your back.
• Find a comfortable position for your arms and hold this position for up to 5 minutes.

Garland Pose (Malasana)

What it does:

Increases flexibility and circulation by stretching your lower back, hips, and thighs. This pose can also strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and help alleviate pain, cramping, and digestive concerns.

How to do it:

• Squat down with your legs closed and your heels flat on the ground.
• Bring your arms to a praying pose and press your elbows against your inner thighs and stretch your thighs wide apart.
• Make sure your spine is straight and your feet are still close to each other.
• Stay in this pose for up to 5 breaths.

Final Relaxation (Savasana)

What it does:

Relaxes your mind and body and is the ideal pose to conclude your yoga session. The final touch. (We’re keeping the fact that this is popularly called ‘Corpse pose’ under wraps)

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your legs outstretched or your knees bent.
• Keep your head centered and do not let it turn or fall to the sides.
• Extend your arms to the sides and relax in this pose completely for as long as you like.

It can be difficult to go on living your life like normal when you have to deal with so much. We hope doing these yoga poses can relieve at least some of your pain. For support or queries, you can always reach out to us. See you in the next blog. ☺

FAQS Related to Endometriosis Treatment

1. Can endometriosis go away with exercise?

Exercise is not a complete cure for endometriosis, but it can certainly help with the physical, mental, and emotional stress of dealing with endometriosis.

2. Is endometriosis fully curable?

Currently, there is no cure for endometriosis, but most people notice significant improvement in their symptoms with surgery. There are also many other treatment options that can help ease the symptoms related to endometriosis.

3. What is the permanent cure for endometriosis?

There is no permanent cure for endometriosis, but treatment can significantly improve your symptoms.

4. Can exercise make endometriosis worse?

Yes. Even though exercises can help relieve pain related to endometriosis, overdoing it can have the exact opposite effect. Take breaks, pace yourself, and gradually increase the intensity of your exercises.

5. Can yoga reduce endometriosis?

While yoga can relieve symptoms related to endometriosis and make dealing with endometriosis a lot easier, it cannot reduce endometriosis.

6. What exercises should I avoid with endometriosis?

High intensity abdominal exercises (abs workout), like crunches and plank jacks; and High-impact exercises, like running and burpees, should be avoided with endometriosis.