Pelvic Floor Exercises to Help with Vaginismus

Key Takeaways

• Vaginismus involves involuntary tightening of the pelvic floor muscles that can make vaginal penetration painful or impossible. Pelvic floor exercises are one way to help manage these symptoms.
• Pelvic floor exercises can improve muscle awareness, promote relaxation, increase flexibility, and support healthier blood flow to the vaginal area.
• Three core exercises — contractions, quick sprints, and diaphragmatic breathing for relaxation — are recommended by Oxford University Hospitals and can be done at home (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, n.d.).
• Consistency is a critical factor in how quickly you see results. A short daily routine, done regularly over time, is more effective than occasional longer sessions.
• Pelvic floor exercises work well alongside other approaches, including dilation therapy. Combining them can support faster, more comfortable progress.

Vaginismus can cause discomfort, pain, and anxiety during attempts at vaginal penetration. Learning how to manage it can feel overwhelming, and there are many approaches you can take. One of those is pelvic floor exercises, which can help alleviate symptoms by improving your awareness of, and control over, the muscles involved. If you are new to the topic, our article Drop It To The Floor: Pelvic Floor 101 is a helpful starting point for understanding pelvic floor anatomy before diving into the exercises themselves.

What Do Pelvic Floor Muscles Do?

According to Oxford University Hospitals (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), pelvic floor muscles “support the bottom of the pelvis and the organs inside the pelvis — including the lower bowel, bladder, and uterus.” They form a sling from the pubic bone at the front to the tailbone at the back, surrounding the vagina, urethra, and rectum.

When these muscles contract, they support the bladder and bowel and help control urination and bowel movements. However, pelvic floor muscles can also contract involuntarily — triggered by fear, anxiety, past trauma, or other factors — and when this happens around the vaginal opening, it can cause pain during penetration.

This involuntary tightening is what defines vaginismus. It is not a conscious choice, and it cannot simply be willed away. But with the right exercises and consistent practice, many women are able to improve their awareness and control of these muscles over time (American Urogynecologic Society).

What Are Pelvic Floor Exercises?

Pelvic floor relaxation exercises — also called pelvic floor muscle training — are exercises that help the pelvic floor muscles relax more fully, function normally at rest, and become more flexible. They also build body awareness, helping you develop a clearer sense of where these muscles are and what they are doing.

The benefits extend beyond just relaxation. Improved blood flow from regular exercise can support healing after surgery or childbirth, and may also help with arousal, lubrication, and orgasm. When the pelvic floor can relax fully, it allows for less painful or pain-free penetration. Over time, regular exercise helps reduce the involuntary contractions that drive vaginismus symptoms (Mercier et al., 2020).

It is worth noting that not all pelvic floor exercises are the same. Some conditions require strengthening the pelvic floor, while others — including vaginismus — require relaxation and release. Our article How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor covers the relaxation side in more detail, including breathing techniques and stretching positions that complement the exercises below.

Are Pelvic Floor Exercises Good for Vaginismus?

Yes. Pelvic floor exercises are one of the most commonly recommended approaches for managing vaginismus symptoms. They help build the muscle awareness and voluntary control needed to counteract involuntary tightening, and they can be done at home, on your own schedule, without any equipment (Wallace et al., 2019).

Before starting, take time to identify your pelvic floor muscles. The muscles you want to target are the ones that help you stop the flow of urine midstream or prevent yourself from passing gas. Once you can locate them, you are ready to begin.

As with any exercise, consistency is a critical factor in how quickly you see results. Try to set aside a specific time each day. A routine that fits naturally into your day is one you are more likely to maintain. We always recommend consulting with your healthcare provider before beginning any treatment for vaginismus symptoms.

For additional movement-based approaches, our article Vaginismus Exercises: Yoga Poses and Stretches for Pelvic Floor Relaxation covers complementary stretches and poses that work well alongside the exercises below.

Three Exercises to Try

The following exercises are recommended by Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) for pelvic floor muscle training (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, n.d.).

1. Contractions
   Once you have identified your pelvic floor muscles, contract them by squeezing and lifting inward — as if you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Hold the contraction for a few seconds, then release and relax fully. Start with a few repetitions, holding for just a couple of seconds each. As you become more comfortable, gradually work up to 10 repetitions, holding each for 10 seconds. Remember to breathe throughout. 

2. Quick Sprints
   Tense all layers of your pelvic floor muscles for 1 second, then release for at least 2 seconds. This faster rhythm builds responsiveness in the muscles. Work up to 10 repetitions. 

3. Relaxation Breathing
   This exercise uses your breathing to help release the pelvic floor. Lie on your back with your hands resting on your abdomen. Slowly breathe in deeply, allowing your stomach to expand upward while keeping your chest and shoulders still. Breathe out slowly and allow your stomach to drop back down. OUH recommends doing this 10 times, 2–3 times per day (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, n.d.).
   
   This relaxation breathing technique is closely related to the diaphragmatic breathing approach described in our How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor article, which explains the connection between conscious breathing and automatic pelvic floor release in more detail.

Adding Dilation Therapy: Why Consistency Matters

Pelvic floor exercises can be a strong foundation for managing vaginismus — and they work even better when combined with other approaches. Dilation therapy is one of the most common complementary treatments, using vaginal dilators to gradually desensitize the body to penetration and help break the cycle of fear and muscle tension that drives vaginismus symptoms.

Just as with pelvic floor exercises, consistency is a critical factor in how quickly dilation therapy shows results. Short, regular sessions are more effective than infrequent attempts — and the design of the tool matters for whether staying consistent feels manageable or overwhelming.

Milli is a precision-engineered vaginal dilator designed to reduce both the physical and emotional stress of dilation therapy — making it easier to stay consistent with your practice. Unlike traditional static dilator sets that require removing and reinserting progressively larger sizes, Milli expands gradually with patient-controlled precision, one millimeter at a time. Optional integrated vibration supports muscle relaxation during each session. In a recent clinical study of Milli users, 85% made measurable progress toward intercourse within 90 days (Materna Medical, n.d.). It can be used independently at home or alongside pelvic floor physical therapy, and it complements the exercises in this article as part of a broader, consistent approach to managing vaginismus. For more on how dilators work and what the evidence shows, see our article Do Vaginal Dilators Work?.

“Consistency is a critical factor in how quickly pelvic floor exercises show results. Building a simple daily routine — even just a few minutes — helps your muscles adapt and makes the benefits add up over time.”

FAQs

Can pelvic floor exercises help with vaginismus?
Yes. Pelvic floor exercises help build awareness and voluntary control of the muscles involved in vaginismus, reduce involuntary contractions over time, and improve flexibility and blood flow in the vaginal area. They are most effective when practiced consistently as part of a daily routine.

How often should I do pelvic floor exercises for vaginismus?
Oxford University Hospitals recommends the relaxation breathing exercise 10 times, 2–3 times per day (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, n.d.). For contractions and quick sprints, working up gradually to 10 repetitions per session is a common target. Consistency matters more than duration — a short daily practice is more effective than longer sessions done occasionally.

What is the difference between pelvic floor strengthening and relaxation?
Some pelvic floor conditions, such as certain types of incontinence, require strengthening the muscles. Vaginismus, however, involves muscles that are too tight — so the goal is relaxation and release, not strengthening. Our article How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor covers this distinction and the techniques most relevant for pelvic floor tightness.

What is vaginismus and why does it cause pain?
Vaginismus involves involuntary tightening of the pelvic floor muscles, making penetration painful or impossible. The tightening is not a conscious choice — it is a physiological response. For a full overview of the condition, its causes, types, and treatment options, see our Vaginismus Overview article.

Should I combine pelvic floor exercises with dilation therapy? 
Yes — many women find that combining pelvic floor exercises with dilation therapy produces better results than either approach alone. Exercises help build muscle awareness and relaxation, while dilators provide gradual, repeated exposure to penetration that helps desensitize the body’s fearresponse. Consistency with both is key. For more on how dilation therapy works, see Do Vaginal Dilators Work?.

Are there other exercises or stretches that help with vaginismus?
Yes. Our article Vaginismus Exercises: Yoga Poses and Stretches for Pelvic Floor Relaxation covers yoga poses and stretching positions that complement the exercises in this article. And our How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor article covers additional breathing techniques and stretches that support pelvic floor release.

Sources

• American Urogynecologic Society. (n.d.). Assessment of the pelvic floor and associated structures. http://www.augs.org/assets/1/6/assessment_of_the_pelvic_floor_and_associated_2.pdf
• Mercier, J., Morin, M., Tang, A., Reichetzer, B., Lemieux, M.-C., Samir, K., Gougeon, F., Morin, M., & Dumoulin, C. (2020). Pelvic floor muscle training: Mechanisms of action for the improvement of genitourinary syndrome of menopause. Climacteric, 23(5), 468–473.
• Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. (n.d.). Pelvic floor exercises. https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files/29165Ppelvic.pdf
• Wallace, S. L., Miller, L. D., & Mishra, K. (2019). Pelvic floor physical therapy in the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction in women. Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 31(6), 485–493.