Three Nerve Glides for Pudendal Neuralgia
Welcome back, Bestie! Last time, we chatted about pudendal neuralgia which is a common cause of pelvic pain and dysfunction. Today, I wanted to talk about a few nerve-friendly exercises you can do to help your symptoms if you are suffering from pudendal neuralgia.
First, let’s touch on nerves. Nerves, in general, are fairly particular. They don’t like to be squished, compressed or infringed upon. You know when you wake up and your entire arm is asleep? At first it feels numb and then it tingles and then it finally feels okay again? That feeling comes from your nerves being compressed while you slept. Whatever sleeping position you were in caused your nerves to be uncomfortable. In order to work well, nerves need to be free of being squeezed, and they also have to be able to move. Unlike muscle, nerves cannot contract. Muscle is called “contractile tissue” because it has the ability to shorten and lengthen as you use it. Nerves are “non-contractile tissue” and they remain the same length at all times. This means nerves don’t like to be stretched. Stretching a nerve can irritate it and cause symptoms to flare up. However, they do like to move. What this means is that nerves want to be able to slide back and forth along their pathways, without being stretched or compressed.
Okay, now that we’ve got an idea of what nerves need to be happy, let’s talk about what exercises we can do to specifically target the pudendal nerve. As mentioned, nerves don’t like to be stretched or compressed. This means, we don’t want to do exercises that are stretching the pudendal nerve, as these could worsen symptoms. Instead, we want to perform exercises that “floss” the nerve. Basically, we want the exercises we do to encourage the nerve to move back and forth without stretching it. Note that these exercises should not provoke or worsen symptoms. If you notice pain increasing, decrease the range of motion used in the exercise or stop the exercise altogether.
So, without further ado, here are a few exercises you can do to improve symptoms of pudendal neuralgia.
The first exercise is a seated nerve glide. In this exercise, go ahead and sit on a chair or table. Your knee should be straight and your heel should be touching the floor. Use a non-stretchy strap or dog leash to pull your toes toward you while keeping your heel on the floor. Now, curve your back so that it’s shaped like the letter “C,” and slowly nod your head. Complete 10-15 head nods before taking a break. Complete three times. Be sure this exercise does not cause you to have increased symptoms. If you notice symptoms increasing, try nodding your head in a smaller range of motion, or decreasing the pull on your foot.
The second exercise is similar to the first, but a bit more intense. This would be an exercise you would progress to once your symptoms have started to improve. You should be able to perform the first exercise mentioned with no issues or difficulty before moving on to this one. For this exercise, you will be seated on the floor. Place your feet against the wall so that they are flat. Keep your knees straight at all times. If you are not able to maintain straight knees, this might not be the activity for you! Once your feet are flat against the wall and your knees are straight, curve your back so that it forms a letter “C.” Now, maintaining the curve in your back, lean slightly forward as far as is comfortable. Once in this position, go ahead and nod your head 10-15 times and then take a break. Perform three or so sets. If you notice discomfort or an increase in symptoms, nod your head in a smaller range, or lean less far forward.
Lastly, we have a standing nerve glide exercise. For this activity, you’ll need a sink or other stable surface to hold onto. Place your feet about shoulder-width apart and 1.5 feet from the base of the sink. Push back slowly into a deep squat. As you squat down, arch your neck backward so that you are looking up at the ceiling. Note that, you should not be maximally contracting your leg muscles during this activity, but, rather, relying on your arms and hold on the sink to support you. Once you’ve reached the lowest point of the squat, slowly come back up to standing. As you move back to standing, bring your chin toward your chest. Once in standing, finish the activity off by raising up onto tippy toes. Complete 8-10 repetitions before taking a break. Repeat for two to three sets.
These three exercises can make a big impact on your symptoms of pudendal neuralgia. Remember to combine nerve glides with other important parts of rehabilitation such as avoiding symptom-provoking positions and activities.
If you’ve got pudendal neuralgia, don’t let it get on your nerves—recovery can take some time, but you’ve got this!
XOXO,
Your Pelvic Bestie
*The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
