Kegel Exercises: Benefits, How To & Results

What Are Kegel Exercises?

Kegel exercises, also known as pelvic floor exercises or pelvic floor muscle training, are a targeted form of physical exercise designed to strengthen the muscles of your pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor muscles form a supportive base at the bottom of your pelvis, functioning as a biological hammock that supports vital organs including your bladder, bowel, and vagina. These remarkable muscles play a crucial role in maintaining continence and supporting bodily functions such as urination, defecation, and sexual function.

The pelvic floor muscles work in coordination with your abdominal and back muscles to provide stability and support to your pelvic organs. Over time, these muscles can weaken due to various factors including pregnancy, childbirth, aging, and chronic conditions. Kegel exercises specifically target and strengthen these muscles through intentional contraction and relaxation, helping to restore function and prevent complications.

Why Are Kegel Exercises Important?

Kegel exercises offer numerous health benefits, particularly for individuals experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction. The primary advantages include:

• Prevention and management of urinary leakage, particularly during activities like laughing, coughing, or sneezing
• Improved bowel control and reduction in fecal incontinence
• Prevention of gas incontinence or unintended passing of gas
• Enhanced sexual function and sensation
• Prevention of pelvic organ prolapse, a condition where internal organs droop into or through the vagina
• Improved overall pelvic health and muscle tone

Many women will benefit from performing pelvic floor muscle exercises to improve urinary leakage when triggered by everyday activities. Studies show that consistent practice and regular performance of these exercises can lead to significant improvements in pelvic floor strength and function.

How To Find Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

Before beginning a Kegel exercise routine, it’s essential to correctly identify your pelvic floor muscles. Many people inadvertently engage the wrong muscle groups, reducing the effectiveness of their exercises. Here are several proven methods to locate your pelvic floor muscles:

• The Stop-and-Start Method: While urinating, try to stop the flow of urine midstream. The muscles you use to accomplish this are your pelvic floor muscles. You should notice a slight pulling feeling in your rectum and vagina.
• The Squeeze-and-Lift Technique: Imagine sitting on a marble and attempt to tighten your pelvic muscles as if lifting the marble upward toward your head. This visualization helps you engage the correct muscle group.
• The Internal Touch Method: Place your finger into your vagina and squeeze as if trying to hold in urine. A feeling of tightness around your finger indicates you’re squeezing the pelvic floor muscles correctly.
• The Gas-Prevention Method: Squeeze the muscles you use to stop passing gas. This engages your pelvic floor muscles in a natural and familiar way.

Once you’ve identified the correct muscles, you can perform Kegel exercises lying down, seated, or standing. Many people find it easiest to begin while lying down, as this position provides additional support and allows for better muscle isolation.

Step-by-Step Guide to Performing Kegel Exercises

Proper technique is crucial for achieving maximum benefits from Kegel exercises. Follow these comprehensive steps to perform Kegels correctly:

Step 1: Find Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

Using one of the methods described above, locate your pelvic floor muscles and practice isolating them without engaging your abdominal, thigh, or buttock muscles.

Step 2: Perfect Your Technique

Tighten your pelvic muscles as if lifting the marble upward. Try holding this contraction for three seconds at a time, then relax for a count of three. As you gain strength and endurance, gradually work up to holding your Kegels for five seconds, then relaxing for five seconds.

Step 3: Maintain Proper Focus

For best results, focus exclusively on tightening your pelvic floor muscles. Avoid flexing the muscles in your stomach area, thighs, or buttocks. Importantly, do not hold your breath during the exercises; instead, breathe freely throughout. If you notice your stomach, lower back, or head hurting after doing Kegels, you’re likely holding your breath or clenching the wrong muscles.

Step 4: Choose Your Position

You can perform Kegel exercises while lying down, sitting, or standing. If your pelvic muscles are weak, you may want to begin lying down. Once you gain strength and confidence, you can perform Kegels in any position, allowing you to incorporate them seamlessly into your daily routine.

Recommended Frequency and Progression

When beginning a Kegel routine, remember that you’re working your way up gradually. Don’t expect to be able to hold your Kegel for five or ten seconds immediately, nor should you anticipate results right away. Here’s a structured approach to progressing through your Kegel routine:

Beginner Schedule

When starting out, only perform the number of Kegel exercises that feel fairly easy for you. For example, begin with five Kegels that you hold for three seconds each, performed twice daily. Slowly increase these numbers as you gain strength and endurance.

Progressive Routine

Work your way up to performing 10 Kegels per set, holding and relaxing for five seconds each, and doing three sets per day. This represents an ideal goal that most people can achieve with consistent practice. In general, aim to perform at least three sets per day, working up to doing 10 to 15 Kegels in each set. You could perform one set lying down, one set seated, and one set standing.

Advanced Routine

There are two primary types of Kegel exercises you can perform:

• Type A (Sustained Holds): Tighten the pelvic floor muscles as tightly as possible to the count of five and then relax to the count of five. Repeat 30 times per day (3 sets of 10 or 2 sets of 15). As pelvic floor strength improves, you may squeeze to the count of ten and then relax to the count of ten.
• Type B (Quick Pulses): Tighten the pelvic floor muscles as tightly as possible and relax in quick succession. Repeat 25-50 times per day (2 to 5 sets of 10).

It may take as long as three months to notice an improvement in pelvic floor muscle strength. However, the benefits continue only as long as you continue the program, making consistency essential.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When performing Kegel exercises, it’s important to be aware of common mistakes that can reduce effectiveness or cause discomfort:

• Using Kegels to Stop Urination: Don’t make a habit of using Kegel exercises to start and stop your urine stream. Doing Kegels while emptying your bladder can keep your bladder from emptying fully, raising the risk of a urinary tract infection.
• Engaging Wrong Muscles: Ensure you’re not flexing your stomach, thighs, or buttocks muscles. When correctly performing a Kegel, you shouldn’t notice any movement of your body other than your pelvic floor muscles.
• Holding Your Breath: Breathe freely during exercises rather than holding your breath, which can cause tension headaches and reduce exercise effectiveness.
• Overdoing It: Doing too many Kegel exercises can increase muscle tension or make your symptoms worse. If you feel pain after doing Kegels, stop immediately. It’s better to do fewer Kegels properly than to perform lots of Kegels incorrectly.
• Expecting Immediate Results: Remember that building pelvic floor strength takes time. Don’t expect dramatic results right away.

Important Safety Precautions

While Kegel exercises are generally safe and effective, there are specific situations where they should be avoided or modified:

Never perform Kegel exercises with a Foley catheter in place. Performing Kegels with a catheter in place may cause bleeding or bladder muscle spasms. Additionally, when performing Kegel exercises properly, there aren’t many risks or complications. They shouldn’t damage any muscles or cause side effects.

If you have concerns about performing Kegel exercises due to pain or difficulty isolating the correct muscles, consult with your healthcare provider. They can provide personalized guidance and may recommend additional interventions.

Advanced Techniques and Support

If you have trouble doing Kegel exercises on your own, your healthcare provider might suggest trying biofeedback training and electrical stimulation of your pelvic floor muscles.

Biofeedback Training

During biofeedback, a healthcare provider inserts a probe into your vagina. Your provider asks you to perform a Kegel while a monitor displays whether you’re squeezing the correct muscles. This real-time feedback helps you develop proper technique and muscle awareness.

Electrical Stimulation

Electrical stimulation recreates the sensation of what a Kegel exercise should feel like. During this treatment, your provider sends a small electric current into your pelvic floor muscles. In turn, your muscles react to the current by squeezing, helping you understand what proper muscle engagement feels like.

You can also incorporate Kegels into other stretches and exercises, such as cat-cow pose. However, it’s important to remember that while these exercises are good for building flexibility and strength, holding the Kegel is the part that specifically targets your pelvic floor.

Expected Results and Timeline

The timeline for seeing results from Kegel exercises varies from person to person, but consistency is key. Most individuals can expect to notice improvements within 4 to 6 weeks of regular practice, with more significant improvements appearing within 3 months. The key is to practice and perform Kegel exercises regularly and consistently.

As your pelvic floor strength improves, you may experience reduced urinary leakage, better bladder control, improved bowel function, and enhanced sexual sensation. Remember that these benefits continue only as long as you maintain your Kegel exercise routine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can men perform Kegel exercises?

A: Yes, Kegel exercises benefit men as well as women. Men can strengthen their pelvic floor muscles to improve urinary control, enhance sexual function, and support overall pelvic health.

Q: How often should I perform Kegel exercises?

A: You should strive to perform Kegel exercises at least two to three times per day. Many healthcare providers recommend three sets of 10 to 15 Kegels daily for optimal results.

Q: When will I see results from doing Kegel exercises?

A: It may take as long as three months to notice an improvement in pelvic floor muscle strength. However, consistency is essential, and benefits continue only as long as you maintain your exercise routine.

Q: Can Kegel exercises be done at any time during the day?

A: Yes, with practice, you can do Kegels just about anytime and anywhere—while sitting at your desk, standing in line, or lying in bed. This flexibility makes them easy to incorporate into your daily routine.

Q: Is there a “best” Kegel exercise?

A: There isn’t really a “best” Kegel exercise. All Kegels are beneficial when you perform them correctly. Choose the position (sitting, standing, or lying down) that feels most comfortable for you.

Q: What if I experience pain while doing Kegel exercises?

A: If you feel pain after doing Kegels, stop immediately. Pain may indicate you’re engaging the wrong muscles or exercising too intensely. It’s better to do fewer Kegels properly than to perform many Kegels incorrectly.

Q: Can I do Kegel exercises with a catheter in place?

A: No. You should never perform Kegel exercises with a Foley catheter in place, as it may cause bleeding or bladder muscle spasms.

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medha deb

 

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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