Yoga and endometriosis - creating space for a body plagued by pain
A blog article for therapists, yoga teachers and people with chronic abdominal pain
By Florian Hockenholz, physiotherapist, osteopath & yoga teacher
Endometriosis is a disease that is much more than just "a little tummy ache during your period". It affects the immune system, the hormonal balance, the nervous system - and above all: the experience of the body, pain, identity and boundaries.
Many sufferers report years of odyssey leading up to the diagnosis, persistent pain, exhaustion and the feeling that they can no longer trust their own body.
Yoga can be a silent but powerful answer here. Not a panacea - but an approach. A space in which the body can once again be experienced as an ally.
What makes endometriosis so complex?
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory, oestrogen-dependent disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus - e.g. on the ovaries, in the pelvic cavity, bowel, bladder or even diaphragm.
What many people don't know: Pain is not only mechanical or inflammatory, but often neuropathic (due to nerve irritation), centralized (pain memory), vegetatively influenced (dysregulation) - and always emotionally linked.
Those affected often suffer from:
Chronic lower abdominal, back or leg pain
Digestive problems, bladder irritation, dyspareunia (pain during sex)
Fatigue, sleep disorders, inner restlessness
the feeling of no longer being "at home" in your own body
What yoga can do here
Yoga originally means: connection.
And that is exactly what many sufferers need - connection with a body that is no longer experienced as safe.
🌬 Breath & vegetative regulation
Gentle breath observation → activate the parasympathetic nervous system
Diaphragm mobilization → Relief in the abdomen, calming of organ tension
Breath as inner touch - not as control
🧘 Movement & physical contact
Flowing, pain-free movement → Pelvic mobility, lumbar spine, hips
Exercises in side position, quadruped position or supine position → Safety & grounding
Asanas such as Supta Baddha Konasana, Cat-Cow, Apanasana → Space for abdomen & pelvis
🧠 Perception & self-efficacy
Feel instead of evaluate: "How does my pelvis feel today?"
Mindful sequences → not against the pain, but with the body
Repeated practice → Self-efficacy, stability, inner stability
What yoga should not be
❌ No "perseverance against pain"
❌ No dogmatic orientations ("only this helps")
❌ No spiritual overload
❌ No posture correction at any price
Instead:
✅ Offers, not demands
✅ Breathing as a reconnection, not a technique
✅ Movement as an invitation, not a goal
✅ Body as a space for experience - not as an enemy
Who is yoga for endometriosis suitable for?
For anyone who experiences chronic pelvic pain
For patients with diagnosed or suspected endometriosis
For people who are dealing with hormonal fluctuations, PMS or cycle complaints
For therapists who want to learn how to integrate mindful movement into coaching
Conclusion
Yoga for endometriosis is not a prescription, but a process.
A way to return in small steps - to a body that felt foreign.
A way to promote self-regulation, to understand pain, to let the breath flow again.
And sometimes that is precisely the beginning of change.
📅 Would you like to learn how yoga can be used therapeutically for endometriosis?
You can find webinars, training courses and specialist articles here:
www.hockenholz.com/yoga