The Key to Kegels
What are Kegels? Put simply, Kegels are to the pelvic floor what yoga is to the body, mind and spirit. They are an accessible form of low-impact exercise that has the potential to dramatically improve your life.
To get even more granular, “Kegel pelvic floor exercises are used to strengthen the muscles that support your uterus, bladder, bowel, and rectum,” according to WebMD. Kegels have enjoyed some publicity as of late, being touted as a way to treat erectile dysfunction and achieve pelvic floors of steel.
So how do you do them?
Many of us are not aware of where our pelvic floor muscles even are, so engaging them can be a challenge.
There are several ways, per Healthline. One is to simply replicate the experience of holding in gas. If you attempt that and then feel it in your vagina or back end, you’re doing it right! You can also locate these muscles by stopping urine while on the seat or putting a finger inside yourself while doing the exercise to feel the pull. Although please do not get in the habit of doing this routinely, as it sends mixed messages to your pelvic floor! You get one shot at it, for educational purposes only!
If you are of a certain age, think back to those claw arcade machines you played with as a child. The Cleveland Clinic compares the motion of a Kegel to the claw opening and closing around a prize.
You then will tighten your muscles for a count of five, and relax for the same count. For optimal help, perform these endurance contractions 20x, three times per week. You can also perform Quick Flicks, or “fast exhale squeeze, fast inhale release” 50x, three times per week.
Your physical therapy appointment is another great time to check your Kegel form. You shouldn’t be embarrassed or feel like you are bothering your therapist. That’s what they are there for!
Now, let’s take a closer look at what they’re for.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
As I explain in my book The Inside Story, “POP is associated with the excessive descent of one or more of the pelvic organs or the vaginal wall.” It can happen after childbirth, and there are several different types of prolapse. These include uterine or cervix prolapse, cystocele/anterior prolapse, rectocele/posterior prolapse, and rectal prolapse. I also talk about prolapse in this blog post – well worth the read! Pelvic organ prolapse has a number of treatments, ranging from a pessary to surgery, but Kegels can make pelvic floor muscles stronger and those are the muscles that keep those organs stable.
Incontinence
Pelvic floor muscles affect how much control we have over our urination and defecation, which is why it may be recommended to strengthen them to treat urinary, urge and fecal incontinence.
Better Sex
Now I’ve got your attention! Yes, Kegels can even help in this department. According to WebMD, there is scientific evidence that Kegels can “enhance female sexual arousal by relaxing the vagina, improving lubrication and allowing more blood flow to the genitals.” In men, they may heighten the pleasure of orgasm and provide “greater control over ejaculation.” (Pelvic floor muscles really are the center to so much that goes on in our bodies!)
Who Shouldn’t Do Kegels
Kegels can be a problem for people with a hypertonic pelvic floor. This means the pelvic floor muscles are unable to fully relax. Nebraska Medicine states, “While these exercises may benefit both men and women, performing too many ─ or performing them incorrectly ─ may increase muscle tension and pain, or worsen your symptoms.” One journalist received a hypertonic pelvic floor diagnosis simply from doing Kegels alone, so you have to be careful. They also provide very limited benefit for overflow incontinence.
As usual, it is best to speak with a healthcare provider.
Also, have patience: Don’t expect overnight success as they can take up to a few months to work. Try adding Kegels to your Google calendar or doing them first thing in the morning. You can even pair them with your favorite podcast to help make the habit automatic. And the result is not only a stronger pelvic floor but stronger relationships, less embarrassment, less pain, more pleasure – overall, a pretty big impact for such a really tiny movement!