Are there any kidney stone pain relief exercises?

One of the questions that usually comes up when it comes to getting rid of kidney stones is “What exercises should I do to get rid of the pain?”

Based on the research that I've gathered, the pain that comes with having kidney stones is caused by the passing of the stones, and exercising might make it worse. Now, this is not to scare you. Exercising also has the potential of curing the condition through successful passing of the stones. However, this can only be recommended to people who have small kidney stones. To those who have large kidney stones, the movement of these stones might cause the stones to get stuck at the most sensitive areas of their bodies, which can make the pain worse.

With this in consideration, it is best to consult a medical professional before engaging in any kind of exercise.

Waist Circles

If your doctor says that it's okay for you to exercise, then you can start with any mild to moderate workouts. Since the pain that is caused by kidney stones usually centers around the waist area, doing waste circles might help. You simply stand up. Put your feet apart at shoulder-length, and then turn your waist in circles. You can start circling in a clockwise direction for a few times and then do the same thing in the opposite direction.

This video contains a demonstration of waist circles, start at the 30-second mark:

Abdominal and Lower Back Exercises

You might want to try out some abdominal and lower back exercises but I’d recommend that you mentioned this to your doctor before trying them. I've found some simple abdominal and back exercises that you might be interested in. You can access them here: https://www.kewynnpt.com/exercises-for-lower-back/

For convenient access, you can refer to the image below:

The Box Breathing Technique

Generally speaking, breathing techniques can reduce pain and make it easy for you to relax. There are plenty of breathing techniques out there but I’d recommend the Box breathing because of its simplicity. Like with any type of activity, this should be discussed with your doctor before giving it a try. 

You can do this while sitting, lying or standing. Choose the position you are most comfortable with. Simply inhale for three to four seconds. Hold your breath for 3-4 seconds. Exhale for 3-4 seconds. Hold your breath 3-4 seconds before moving on to the next cycle. 

Be mindful of your shoulders, as they might tense while you breathe which can work against the relaxing effect of the technique. 

Don’t push yourself too hard when doing this. This is meant to calm you down. If this technique causes any discomfort, discontinue immediately.

- Jason