Q - I have a student who has come to yoga with a prolapsed uterus. Her doctor has said yoga will be fine for her and did not want to do any surgical intervention until after she is through having children. She has no discomfort from it but finds when she moves through the asanas air moves out as if passing gas and she is very embarrassed by it. I tried to tell her that this is not “bad” and that accepting where she is now will help her relax and begin to work with what is.
I have done some research on this and have found that inversion (ranging from Viparita Karani to headstand variations) are good for this condition and I would also think Aswini Mudra and Uddiyana bandha would be helpful. This is just what I have gleaned from the resources I have found. Anything more you could offer would be very much appreciated by both of us.
A ? Basically all inversions can help so they are to be encouraged. You are correct in telling her that gas will move frequently from this condition. It is also common with women who have had children air will enter the vaginal canal and escape as they come down. The main training is to develop the undulating motions of the rectus abdominis and its supportive abdominal tissue plus freedom in the antagonist muscles of the back, the erector spinae. Definitely all the Yogic internal abdominal practices with a progression from mula bandha to Aswini Mudra, Agnisar dhouti, Uddiyana bandha, and ultimately to nauli is to be encouraged. They need to be learned in this order for optimal effectiveness. Teach what you know of this progression. However, I have found that the best posture for making a difference is the rolling bridge. By developing this it creates the internal tone needed to access the uterus and internal musculature of the bladder and vaginal canal. When Uddiyana can be mastered doing it in this dynamic posture will shift her uterus into proper placement. Namaste Mukunda