5 exercises to help with bowel incontinence
Regain confidence and support better bowel control with these bowel incontinence exercises, designed to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and reduce leaks.
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People might joke about “pooping their pants,” but for some, bowel incontinence — also called fecal incontinence or bowel leakage — is a very real and ongoing concern. It’s more common than you might think, affecting as many as one in seven people. If it’s part of your life, know that you’re not alone — and that support and solutions are available.
“There are many reasons bowel incontinence happens — and it can happen to anyone,” says Maria Fernandez Cuadrado, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. Issues with your pelvic floor or anal sphincter muscles (from childbirth or surgery), nerve issues in your spine, chronic digestive conditions, certain medications, and aging can all play a role.
You don’t have to live with bowel incontinence. Simple treatments — including targeted pelvic floor exercises — can help improve bowel control. Read on to learn about six exercises recommended by Hinge Health physical therapists that can help with bowel incontinence.
Interested in getting a personalized exercise therapy plan? Learn more about Hinge Health’s digital physical therapy program and see if you’re eligible.
Reviewed by our clinical and medical experts
Bijal Toprani, PT, DPT
Maria C. Fernandez Cuadrado, PT, DPT
Fully Covered Pelvic Care
What is bowel incontinence?
Bowel incontinence is when you’re unable to fully control your bowel movements, leading to stool (poop) leaking unexpectedly from the rectum. This can be as mild as an occasional leak when passing gas or during bouts of diarrhea, or as significant as a complete loss of bowel control. There are two main types of bowel incontinence:
Urge incontinence: You get the feeling that you need to have a bowel movement, but can’t make it to the toilet in time. This can happen when the anal sphincter or pelvic floor muscles are not strong enough to hold in stool or gas.
Passive incontinence: Stool leaks out without you realizing it. In this case, you might not feel when your rectum is full, so you don’t get the signal that you need to use the bathroom.
Both types can be distressing, but with support and the right strategies, there’s a lot you can do to manage and improve symptoms.
How can pelvic physical therapy help bowel incontinence?
If weak pelvic floor muscles are contributing to why you have bowel incontinence, strengthening them with targeted physical therapy exercises can make a real difference. Many people with bowel leakage have pelvic floor muscles that aren’t as strong or coordinated as they need to be, which can affect your ability to hold in stool or gas.
A pelvic health physical therapist can help you reconnect with these muscles through targeted exercises and other strategies. An exercise plan for fecal incontinence can include:
Pelvic floor training. Doing gentle exercises and using tools (like a pelvic trainer) build strength and coordination in the muscles around your anus and pelvis. “This can include longer holds for muscle endurance and quick squeezes or “flicks” to help manage sudden urges,” Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says.
Relaxation training. Learning how to relax your pelvic floor muscles can help you empty your bowels more effectively during bowel movements, reducing the risk of leaks caused by overflow, Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says. Breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing, can also help relax your pelvic floor muscles. This can be especially helpful if you’re prone to constipation as well as bowel incontinence.
Core exercises. Hip and core-strengthening moves can also help. “Good core strength lays the foundation for long-term improvement in bowel control and confidence,” Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says. Strengthening your deep core muscles — including your diaphragm, abdominals, and back — helps your pelvic floor activate and relax at the right times, which improves pressure management and supports the “seal” at the rectum for better control.
Movement for motility. Doing regular low-impact activity, like walking for 20-30 minutes, along with gentle stretches can support healthy digestion and helps prevent constipation, which is a common trigger for leaks, Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says.
Bowel training. This strategy helps you build better bowel control by creating a regular toileting routine. Your physical therapist may suggest making a conscious effort to have a bowel movement at the same time each day — often after a meal, like breakfast. Over time, this can help your body develop more predictable habits and make accidents less frequent.
Lifestyle recommendations. Making simple changes in bathroom habits — such as using a footstool, keeping your knees above your hips, and leaning slightly forward — can also make it easier to empty your bowels without straining.
5 exercises for bowel incontinence
Targeted pelvic floor exercises — such as Kegel exercises — play a big role in managing bowel incontinence. These movements help activate and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support your rectum, helping you build and maintain bowel control.
“With stronger and more coordinated pelvic floor muscles, you can build better control and confidence, reduce urgency, and lower the likelihood of leaks,” says Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado.
Kegel exercises also improve your timing and coordination, so you can use a “preemptive squeeze” when you feel an urge.
In addition to strengthening, it’s also key to practice exercises that relax your pelvic floor muscles. This helps you empty your bowels more completely and prevents accidents related to overflow. In addition to pelvic floor work, movements that strengthen your glutes and deep core muscles can provide even more support for your pelvic area. Try these PT-backed exercises to treat bowel incontinence.
1. Standing Kegels
Want expert care? Check if you're covered for our free program →This Kegel variation is a great exercise for building pelvic floor strength and bowel control. You can make the move more challenging by adding 8-10 fast squeezes with full relaxation between each, to further help manage sudden urges or leaks. “You can also practice long-hold standing Kegels by gently contracting your pelvic floor at half (or less) of your maximum effort, holding for 3–5 seconds to start, and then relaxing for 5–10 seconds with steady breathing,” says Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado.
How to do it:
Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and a soft bend in your knees.
Inhale to prepare and exhale as you squeeze and lift the muscles between your pubic bone and tailbone toward your head.
Inhale to release and relax those muscles.
Keep your butt muscles relaxed and spine neutral.
PT tip: “Including both quick flicks and long holds can support both rapid response and lasting bowel control,” says Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado.
2. Kegel chair squats
Want expert care? Check if you're covered for our free program →This sit-to-stand drill trains your pelvic floor muscles for daily movements, like getting up from a chair and getting in and out of a car. By strengthening these muscles, you may notice better control over your bathroom routine. “You can modify this move by using a higher chair, extra cushion, or only squatting halfway,” Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says.
How to do it:
Begin seated on the end of the chair, with your feet on the floor directly underneath your knees. Take a deep breath in.
Exhale as you press into your feet to stand tall. As you stand up, lift and engage the muscles between your pubic bone and your tailbone. Imagine you’re using those muscles to pick up a blueberry or suck a milkshake up a straw.
As you return to sit, relax those muscles fully as you inhale.
PT tip: “Keep your ribs stacked over your pelvis, let your knees track over your toes, and try not to hold your breath or squeeze your glutes as you perform this movement,” Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says.
“This simple exercise strengthens your glutes and deep core muscles, helping to improve pelvic stability and support your pelvic floor for better bladder and bowel control,” Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says.
How to do it:
Lie comfortably on your back. With your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, push through your feet to raise your hips off the floor.
Squeeze your butt muscles at the top of the move.
Relax your hips back to the floor.
PT tip: “Exhale as you lift up and add a gentle pelvic floor squeeze at the top,” says Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado. “Keep breathing in and out as you hold your hips up.”
Get more information on how to do a bridge here.
4. Abdominal bracing
Want expert care? Check if you're covered for our free program →“This exercise activates your deep core muscles to support your pelvic floor and manage pressure,” says Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado. Managing pressure in your abdomen helps protect your pelvic floor during movements like lifting, coughing, or sneezing, and can reduce the risk of accidental leaks.
How to do it:
Lie on your back on a floor, bed, or couch with your knees bent and your feet flat on the surface.
Gently squeeze your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in toward your spine.
Continue to breathe with an even inhale and exhale as you hold this position.
Relax your abdominal muscles to return to the start.
PT tip: “As you exhale, gently brace your core without sucking in your belly,” Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says.
Get more information on how to do abdominal bracing here.
5. Diaphragmatic breathing
Want expert care? Check if you're covered for our free program →This breathing exercise helps your body manage pressure in your abdomen while calming sensations of urgency. By focusing on slow, deep breaths, you encourage your pelvic floor to move in sync with your breath, supporting relaxation and better control. “Practicing this type of breathing can also ease tension and make it easier for your pelvic floor muscles to activate and relax when needed,” Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says.
How to do it:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Rest one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
Slowly inhale as you fill your belly with air so the hand on your belly rises up toward the ceiling. The hand on your chest remains mostly still.
Focus on staying relaxed as you hold that breath in your belly.
Slowly breathe out so the hand on your belly lowers with you.
PT tip: “As you exhale, gently squeeze your pelvic floor muscles,” Dr. Fernandez Cuadrado says.
Get more information on how to do diaphragmatic breathing here.
The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.
Pelvic floor physical therapy is more than just kegel exercises. Various exercises tailored to your symptoms and needs are key to getting relief. Pelvic floor PT can relieve many different pelvic issues, such as pelvic pain, painful sex, and urinary incontinence.
Members of the Hinge Health pelvic health program experience an average 67% reduction in pelvic pain and 54% reduction in urinary incontinence within the first 12 weeks. Learn more*.
Personalizing your bowel incontinence exercises
Everyone’s symptoms are different — some feel urgency or leakage with activity, others don’t have any warning. These moves should feel like gentle work, not strain. If they feel too easy, increase hold time, move from lying to sitting to standing, or add quick “pre-squeeze” contractions before a cough or lift. If they feel challenging, shorten the holds, do fewer reps, or use a more supported position. Working with a Hinge Health physical therapist can help make sure your exercises are the right amount of challenge for you.
How Hinge Health can help you
If you have pelvic pain, bladder, bowel, or other pelvic symptoms that are affecting your quality of life, you can get the relief you've been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.
The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app, when and where it works for you. Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.
See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.
This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.
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References
Menees, S. B., Almario, C. V., Spiegel, B. M. R., & Chey, W. D. (2018). Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Fecal Incontinence: Results From a Population-Based Survey. Gastroenterology, 154(6), 1672-1681.e3. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2018.01.062
Medline Plus. (2017). Pelvic floor muscle training exercises: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Medlineplus.gov. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003975.htm
Andy, U. U., Harvie, H. S., Pahwa, A. P., Markland, A., & Arya, L. A. (2017). The relationship between fecal incontinence, constipation and defecatory symptoms in women with pelvic floor disorders. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 36(2), 495-498. doi: 10.1002/nau.22964