Wide legged forward fold
For the one in 10 women in the UK who suffer from endometriosis, debilitating period pains are a frustrating fact of life. The condition causes tissue similar to that in the lining of the womb to grow in other places, such as the ovaries, and can lead to heavy periods, painful cramps, and pain during sex. There is no cure for endometriosis, and in severe cases, surgery is required to remove the tissue.
However, some women have found that yoga can help to alleviate their symptoms. Lara Heppell, a registered Senior Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance Professionals, has been a yoga teacher for 16 years, but it wasn’t until she experienced excruciating pelvic pain after the birth of her son that she realised how beneficial yoga could be in treating womb pain, and subsequently the symptoms of endometriosis. Although Heppell says that the doctors weren’t able to diagnose her condition, during a scan to check for fibroids she noticed that there was a lot of “tension” in her womb. “I could see this vibrating womb, which just didn’t look relaxed,” she says.