Exercises to Help You Poop

Getting Things Going Naturally

1. What’s “Normal”?

• Once the food goes in, it should take about 24-70 hours to make its way out. Several things affect how efficiently food moves through your system→ what you eat, when you eat, movement, medications, hormones, etc… the list is long.

• When things slow down we end up with constipation. About 15% of Americans are constipated, and that number goes up during pregnancy, postpartum, pelvic floor dysfunction, and after surgery. Constipation then starts to wreak havoc on the rest of the body systems. 

• If you are pooping less than 3 times a week, having hard-to-pass stool, or feeling like you’re not fully emptying (even if you’re going daily) you’re likely constipated.

• Goal: start addressing constipation with holistic simple tools that actually help!

2. Why Movement Matters

• Movement helps stimulate gut motility – essentially waking up your intestines and getting food moving at a normal pace! Sedentary habits, stress, or breath-holding can slow things down.

• The pelvic floor and diaphragm work together — if one is tense, the other can’t do its job well. If the pelvic floor is holding tension we can get something called outlet dysfunction, meaning the “exit ramp” for your poop is too tight to let things out easily.

3. The Simple Things Work

• Abdominal Massage

  • We can help the body move things through the large intestines with gentle abdominal massage. This is a gentle clock-wise massage from the lower right abdomen up to the ribs, across to the left, and down to the left side of the pelvis. Go slow and gentle and repeat! Perform for approximately 5 minutes!

• Get Those Knees Towards the Chest

  • Childs pose, deep supported squat, or lying knee hug towards chest

  • This provides gentle abdominal compression, helps relieve gas, and helps relax the pelvic floor muscles

  • Mimic this position when toileting using a stool or something similar to the Squatty Potty

• Walking 

  • Slow continuous walking does wonders for the bowels. It increases blood flow, improves peristalsis (wave-like contractions of intestines that push stool through), creates gentle compression to the abdomen through muscular contractions, and helps reduce stress

• Breathing 

  • The diaphragm and the pelvic floor are part of the same system. Increasing the movement of the diaphragm helps the pelvic floor relax as well as creates a gentle pressure gradient in the abdomen that can help with peristalsis 

  • Take a slow breath in→ visualize expanding the ribs in all directions. Hold your breath for a few seconds then exhale gently for a loooooong exhale. Repeat!

• Spinal Rotation

  • Whether it's sitting, lying, or standing, gentle spinal twists help stimulate the bowels and help get things moving. Combine this with the breathing for a great combo!

4. Additional Ideas

• 💧Hydration: Aim for about half your body weight in ounces of water per day. If you are dehydrated your body will pull more water from your stool– making it harder and more difficult to pass.

• 🌾Fiber: helps bulk up and hydrate the stool. Start small and always pair with increased water!

• 💊Supplements: electrolytes, magnesium citrate, and vitamin C are all great things to try to help get the gut moving!

• 🍬Chewing gum→ this helps stimulate the natural peristalsis that happens during eating

• 🪑Rocking chair– activates the parasympathetic nervous system, relaxes the pelvic floor, and helps with peristalsis 

5. Timing & Routine

• Best done after meals when digestion is active.

• Consistency matters more than intensity — think “daily rhythm” over “workout.”

6. When to Get Help

• If you rely on laxatives regularly, have pain, or strain often, it’s time to see a pelvic floor physical therapist.

• They can assess coordination, pressure management, and help retrain the system to get you pooping well again!

7. Takeaway

• Movement is medicine — small, mindful exercises can make a big difference for your bowels.

• Breathe, move, and relax your way to better digestion.

👉 If you found this blog and read all the way down here, it’s probably because you needed this information.
Take things one step further toward great gut health by actually treating that constipation.

Reach out to Motion Evolved Physical Therapy in Southern Maryland to get started with pelvic floor therapy today!