Are You Clenching Your Way to Worse Prolapse Symptoms?

If you have prolapse, you’ve probably been told to just “do some kegels to strengthen your pelvic floor” to improve your symptoms. [insert me silently screaming😊]

(PS – If you’ve been told kegels are the answer to everything, check out this blog post to learn when they help—and when they don’t!)

But what if I told you that gripping, clenching, and holding tension in other areas of your body—like your jaw, upper abs, and glutes—could actually be making your symptoms worse? 😳😳

And that releasing tension in these areas can have a huge impact on your prolapse symptoms!

Yep, you read that right. Chronic tension in these areas isn’t just uncomfortable—it increases pressure in your core and pelvic floor, which can worsen prolapse symptoms.

The good news? By learning how to release unnecessary tension, you can help reduce discomfort and support your pelvic floor.  Stick around as I walk you through how tension in your jaw, upper abs, and glutes impacts prolapse—and what you can do about it.

How Tension in Your Jaw, Abs, and Glutes Affects Your Prolapse Symptoms

You might be wondering—why do these areas matter? Aren’t they separate from the pelvic floor?

Not quite. Your body functions as one connected system, and when certain muscles hold excessive tension, it creates imbalances that affect everything—including your pelvic floor. Here’s how:

• Jaw Clenching – There’s a direct connection between your jaw and pelvic floor via the nervous system. In fact, it’s one of the first neurological connections made in utero!!  🤯  So freaking cool (at least to me lol).  But anyway – if you’re constantly clenching your jaw, your pelvic floor is likely tensing too, increasing pressure and worsening prolapse symptoms.
• Upper Ab Grip – Sucking in your stomach all day (if you’ve been following the blog or me on social media you know how I feel about this 😬) creates excess pressure downward into your pelvic floor causing heaviness and discomfort.
• Glute Gripping – Many people unconsciously squeeze their glutes all freaking day, which restricts hip mobility, decreases muscle health, and leads to extra tension in the pelvic floor. This added tension can create more prolapse symptoms, like pelvic pain and pressure.

As I’m sure you’re seeing by now, your pelvic floor doesn’t work in isolation. In fact, how you prepare your pelvic floor during pregnancy and birth can make a big difference in your postpartum recovery. Learn more in this post on pelvic floor prep for pregnancy and birth.

3 Steps to Instantly Reduce Tension in Your Pelvic Floor

This simple check-in takes just seconds, and it can help you feel immediate relief. Here’s how to do it:

1️⃣ Relax Your Jaw – Notice if your teeth are clenched together. Gently separate them and let your tongue rest on the roof of your mouth. Try humming to encourage relaxation.  You can even gently and lightly massage (in circles) along the back of your lower jaw bone with your pointer and middle fingers.

2️⃣ Soften Your Upper Abs – Place a hand on your ribs and take a slow breath in through your nose. Let your belly expand fully instead of holding it in. Imagine allowing your breath to move freely from your ribs down to your pelvis.  If this is difficult, lay on your back with something light on your stomach – a pillow, socks, etc.  When you breathe, the goal is to make that object “go for a ride.”  It should move up when you breathe in and down when you breathe out.

3️⃣ Unclench Your Glutes – Check in with your butt muscles. Are they tight, even when you’re standing or sitting? Try shifting your weight slightly and letting them release.  If you’re not sure you’re clenching (because chronic clenchers are sometimes unaware they’re even doing it), give your glutes a little squeeze and then actively let them relax.

That’s it! These tiny awareness shifts can make a big difference over time.

Signs You Might Be Holding Too Much Tension and Making Your Prolapse Symptoms Worse

Not sure if you’re guilty of clenching? Here are a few common signs:

• Jaw Clenching: You catch yourself grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw, especially during stress. You might wake up with jaw pain or headaches.
• Upper Ab Grip: Your stomach feels tight or braced throughout the day, and you find yourself constantly sucking in your belly, even when you’re not exercising.
• Glute Squeezing: You habitually squeeze your glutes when standing or walking, and your lower back feels tight or achy.
• Pelvic Floor Tension: Your pelvic floor feels tight, uncomfortable, or heavy, and you might experience increased prolapse symptoms after long periods of sitting or standing.
• Shallow Breathing: You tend to breathe into your chest instead of allowing your belly to expand, which limits oxygen flow and keeps tension locked in your core and pelvic floor.
• Hip or Lower Back Pain: Holding tension in your glutes and abs can contribute to pain in your hips, lower back, or pelvis, making movement feel stiff or uncomfortable.

If any of these sound familiar, focusing on releasing tension in your face, belly, butt, and pelvic floor itself might be the missing piece in your prolapse recovery.

How to Make Releasing Prolapse Tension a Daily Habit

Now that you know how important it is to release tension, how do you make it a part of your daily routine? Here are a few simple ways to integrate it:

• Check in while brushing your teeth – Relax your jaw, soften your abs, and release your glutes.
• Set a reminder – A phone notification saying “Relax: jaw, abs, glutes” can help retrain your body.
• Practice during deep breathing – Take a few slow breaths each day, focusing on softening tension in these areas.
• Release before movement – Unclenching before exercise can help improve core function and pelvic floor engagement.

You Don’t Have to Deal with Prolapse Alone

If prolapse symptoms are holding you back, know this: you are not alone AND you are not stuck like this forever.

Healing is possible, and sometimes, the smallest changes (like releasing tension in key areas) can create a big impact. If you’re ready for expert guidance and a plan tailored to you, let’s chat.

Find a qualified Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist or DM me to start a conversation about your first steps toward feeling stronger, more confident, and in control of your body again.

Final Thoughts on Simple Tricks to Ease Pelvic Floor Prolapse Symptoms

Clenching isn’t the answer—learning to release is.

The next time you notice your jaw, abs, or glutes tensing up, take a deep breath and soften. Your body (and your prolapse symptoms) will thank you.

Give those 3 relaxation steps a try today, and let me know—did you notice a difference?  Send me a DM and let me know!