Perimenopause: 4 Simple Mobility Exercises for Women to Boost Comfort and Flexibility

Perimenopause, a time of significant hormonal changes in a woman's life, can lead to a range of physical symptoms, including stiffness, aches, and reduced range of motion. These changes can affect not only flexibility but also functional movement, pelvic comfort, and overall well-being. However, simple mobility exercises can make a significant difference in managing these symptoms and promoting pelvic health. During perimenopause, hormonal shifts, particularly drops in estrogen, can affect muscle elasticity, joint lubrication, and tissue tone. Many women notice increased stiffness in their hips, lower back, and pelvis. These changes can also influence the pelvic floor muscles, leading to symptoms like bladder urgency, pressure, or pelvic discomfort at night.

Simple mobility exercise routines help by encouraging blood flow, reducing muscular tension, and keeping the joints moving freely. Incorporating these movements with guidance from women’s health physiotherapy providers supports smoother motion and more comfort during everyday activities.

4 Easy Moves to Stay Flexible During Perimenopause Adding just a few mobility exercises to your daily routine can reduce discomfort, support better posture, and promote pelvic floor care without needing hours of intense effort. Here are four simple moves to try:

1. Seated Cat-Cow for Spine & Pelvis: This move promotes spinal fluidity and pelvic awareness, which is especially important when dealing with low back tension or pelvic discomfort at night. To do it, sit on a stable chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your thighs. Inhale and arch your back softly, lifting your chest and tilting your pelvis forward (cow). Exhale and round your spine, tucking your pelvis under and gently engaging your lower abs (cat). Repeat slowly for 10 rounds. This simple motion supports the spine-pelvis connection and is often used in women’s health physiotherapy to relieve tension around the pelvic floor muscles.
2. Pelvic Tilts on the Wall: This subtle movement helps bring awareness to pelvic floor health, posture, and core engagement. To do it, stand tall with your spine pressed against a wall and about a foot away from the wall. Softly press your lower back into the wall as you tilt your pelvis backward. Then, release the tilt to return to a neutral position. Repeat 10 times slowly. This small movement supports awareness of pelvic alignment, something often emphasized in pelvic floor physiotherapy to help with stability and reduce pressure on the pelvic region.
3. Open Book Stretch for Mid-Back Mobility: Hormonal shifts can tighten the mid-back and shoulders; this stretch improves spinal rotation and promotes better posture, which eases pressure on the pelvic floor. To do it, lie on your side with your knees bent at 90 degrees and stacked. Extend both arms in front of you. Slowly open the top arm across your body, reaching toward the floor behind you while turning your head to follow the movement. Keep your hips stable. Hold for a few seconds and return. Do 5–6 reps per side. This gentle rotation enhances thoracic mobility and helps release compensatory tension that may affect pelvic floor muscle coordination.
4. Wall Hip Flexor Stretch: This move targets the hip flexors, which can become tight during perimenopause due to reduced estrogen levels. To do it, stand facing a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on the wall for balance. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in your hip flexors. Hold for 15–30 seconds and repeat 2–3 times. This stretch helps improve hip flexibility and can reduce discomfort in the lower back and pelvis.