How do I exercise with hypertonia?

Seeking Support/Advice

Hey guys. So according to my doctor i dont actually have vaginismus but rather pelvic floor hypertonia, but the subreddits for those are basically dead so ill post it here because there is a huge overlap in symptoms and treatment of both conditions. For reference, i also have Pudendal Neuralgia and possibly pelvic congestion syndrome, meaning i cant sit down or stand up without moving or shuffling my feet for a long time without pain.

I would like to exercise. Specifically strength training, but ive noticed when i look up exercises for my general goals, i squeeze my pelvic floor or it spasms while engaging my core or lower body. I can't help it, and the suppositories my doctor gave me with a muscle relaxant and gabapin do not work well enough to keep that area not squeezed. I do meditation and conscious lengthening of the pelvic floor as well as breathing yoga but i havent found that to work well, including doing those methods intermittently during my weight lifting exercises. If I f up even once and accidently clinch then im in too much pain for the entire rest of the day. That area is very sensitive to me. Dilators are out of the question for me for various complicated doctor reasons as well as most pt usually prescribed for vaginismus or hypertonia. It's complicated.

In a perfect world, i want to do calisthenics and pilates but i fear they are too core focused to not engage my pelvic floor. I am looking for exercises for my pecs and back as im looking to improve the appearance of my upper body and strengthen my posture. I want to build upper muscle. I think exercises i can do in bed would be helpful to me, but i wanted to know what you guys did for weight lifting and exercise without inflamming the pelvic area.

Posted Dec 7, 2025, 11:45 PM UTC

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