Many people experience weakened core and pelvic floor muscles after pregnancy, long hours sitting, injury, or stress. This can show up as back pain, bladder leaks, poor posture or a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen.
If traditional exercises like crunches or planks haven’t helped — or sometimes make things worse — there’s a gentler, more effective approach to restoring balance and strength from the inside out.
Hypopressives - A Low-Pressure Way to Restore Core Function
At Belfast Chiropractic & Complementary Therapies clinic, we offer hypopressive exercise - a breathing and postural technique designed to gently engage your deep abdominal and pelvic muscles without increasing pressure inside the abdomen.
Unlike crunches or sit-ups, hypopressives decrease intra-abdominal pressure rather than increase it. Through a series of specific breathing patterns and postural holds, the diaphragm lifts, and the abdominal wall and pelvic floor reflexively engage. Instead of “squeezing” or straining, hypopressives train your body to naturally activate the muscles that support your spine, pelvis, and organs.
It’s a safe, mindful and highly effective way to rebuild stability and confidence in your body.
Who Can Benefit from Hypopressives?
From new mums to athletes, and from those recovering from injury to individuals looking to improve posture or core control. Common groups who may benefit include:
• Postpartum recovery – to improve pelvic floor tone, bladder control, and abdominal wall healing (especially for mild diastasis recti).
• People with pelvic floor dysfunction – for those experiencing prolapse, incontinence, or pressure in the pelvic area.
• Individuals with poor posture, chronic back or pelvic pain – by improving posture and reducing downward pressure on the spine.
• Athletes or active individuals - as a complement to strength training, improving breathing mechanics and core stability.
• Anyone seeking gentle, mindful movement – hypopressives are low-impact and adaptable for all fitness levels.
What Does the Research Say about Hypopressives?
Although still an emerging field, studies are showing encouraging results for hypopressive exercise:
• Pelvic organ support – Improvements in pelvic floor tone and symptom reduction for prolapse (Resende et al., 2011, Navarro-Brazález et al., 2020).
• Bladder control – Reduction in urinary leakage and improvement in continence (Molina-Torres et al, 2023).
• Abdominal recovery – Reduced gap in abdominal separation (diastasis recti) and improved core engagement (Soto-González et al., 2024).
• Posture and breathing – Greater spinal alignment and thoracic mobility, helping relieve back discomfort (Moreno-Muñoz et al, 2021)
What to Expect During a Session
Your practitioner will guide you through gentle positions and breathing patterns, teaching you how to engage your diaphragm and core through controlled pressure changes. Sessions are calm, restorative and deeply connecting — most people feel lighter, taller, and more stable after just a few sessions.
Find Balance and Strength from the Inside Out
Hypopressives are a safe and empowering way to reconnect with your body’s natural support system. Whether you’re recovering from childbirth, managing urinary incontinence, prolapse or simply want to improve posture and core control, this gentle technique can help you restore confidence and stability.
Join Rachel at a free talk on Thursday 6th November to find out more about hypopressives with a bit of demonstration! Click here to book your free spot.
Book your 1:1 or Group hypopressives programme at Belfast Chiropractic & Complementary Therapies Clinic.
Call us on 028 9064 1111 or email admin@belfastchiropracticclinic.com
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10107869/
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/13/12/1443
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7230910/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39666696/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377582006_Effectiveness_of_Abdominal_Hypopressive_Technique_on_Diastasis_Recti_among_Postpartum_Women
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7967465/
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