The Benefits of Kegel Exercises
1. Introduction to Kegel Exercises
A woman doing Kegel exercises correctly will feel her vagina tighten and will feel an upward lift inside her. This lifting and tightening is the action of the levator muscles, which is the goal of Kegel exercises. If a woman feels her buttocks, abdomen, or legs tighten, she is not doing the exercises correctly. A man doing Kegel exercises correctly will feel the anus pull inward with an upward lift. The feeling is similar to trying to stop passing gas. Kegel exercises are discrete, can be done anywhere and at any time, and no one knows that you are doing them. Kegel exercises can only be effective if done regularly. Kegel exercises can help both men and women. Benefits include decreasing urine leakage, reversing pelvic prolapse, and preventing the need for pelvic floor surgery.
Kegel exercises, also referred to as pelvic floor exercises, consist of repeated contraction and relaxation of the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor. They are used to strengthen the pelvic muscles. The pelvis is the area between the hips that holds your reproductive organs. The pelvic floor consists of layers of muscles that stretch like a supportive hammock from the pubic bone (in front) to the end of the spine. These muscles are responsible for supporting the organs in the pelvis, for example, the bladder, and for helping to control the passage of urine. These muscles can become weakened or strained through age, being overweight, surgery, childbirth, and changes in hormones. This may result in the organs in the pelvis being less well supported, and in some cases, the organs can bulge (prolapse) into the vagina. Control of urine may be affected if the muscles that close off the urethra are weak. This can be a problem for women who have had several pregnancies, as the weight of the baby and length of the delivery can cause a weak pelvic floor or damage to the muscles.
2. How to Perform Kegel Exercises
By the way, don't be discouraged if you do not see immediate results. A lot of people expect to see sudden improvement from Kegel exercises. This is a common misconception, as the muscles that these exercises are trying to affect are slow-twitch muscles, and will not increase in strength and endurance as fast as fast-twitch muscles. Typically, a person will feel better performance in 3-6 weeks, and will see beneficial influence in 6-10 weeks.
A common method to increase muscle strength is to apply the overload principle. For Kegels, this involves using a weighed cone which is held in the vagina. The weak muscles will be unable to support the weight of the cone, therefore the patient will reflexively utilize the pelvic floor muscles to prevent the cone from falling. This method has also been an effective rehabilitative tool for urged incontinence.
Second tip is to practice. If you do not know or have much experience exercising these muscles, start with short exercises (5 seconds) and test your ability to squeeze the muscles and relax them afterward. Gradually increase the time and effort as you grow accustomed to the exercises. At some point you may want to test your ability in controlled environments - stopping urination is not a good practice for finding out how long you are able to squeeze your muscles.
Kegel exercises are easy to do and can be done anywhere without anyone knowing. First, you need to find the right muscles. One way to find them is to pay attention when you have to urinate. Squeeze the muscles in your genital area and anus (like you are trying to stop urinating). If you do this successfully, you have found the right muscles. While you are doing Kegels, prevent other muscles from moving at the same time. This can be challenging, but it is important because if you constrict your belly, buttock or thigh muscles, the exercises will be ineffective and will not result in any gain.
3. The Importance of Kegel Exercises for Men and Women
Kegel exercises can help both men and women with urinary incontinence. Uncontrollable urine flow can be a normal occurrence in many pregnant women and the elderly. Scientific studies show that pelvic floor exercises should be the first line of defense against incontinence before medication and surgery. This ailment is something men also encounter after prostate issues. Kegel exercises help to support the organs surrounding the bladder to keep them held high and control stress incontinence. By preventing urine leakage, you can avoid frequent bathroom trips and the embarrassment of incontinence.
Kegel exercises have great importance for both men and women. They improve sexual gratification by increasing the blood flow to the genital area. Genital blood flow is essential for erections and sexual arousal in both men and women. In women, Kegel exercises can increase sexual awareness and heighten orgasms. In men, Kegel exercises are proven to improve the strength of erections. This is accomplished by the constriction of blood flow through the PC muscle.
4. Additional Tips and Variations for Kegel Exercises
Time it right: Some find it easier to do these in a comfortable position, i.e. in the bath, on a sofa, or lying down. You can do them while on all fours, which some find is an easy position to isolate their pelvic floor muscles. Any position is fine, just stick to your favorite.
Avoid these: Do not point your toes, contract your buttocks, or hold your breath and bear down. These can be symptoms that you are using other muscles to make it easier to complete your exercises, letting your pelvic floor muscles off lightly. This can mean that your incontinence problem may stick around longer.
Increase gradually: Remember to start out practicing your Kegel exercises by gradually building the repetitions, or how long you can hold your contraction. This is important, as you want to increase the challenge to your pelvic floor muscles with the objective of improving the muscle tone and strength. Try to build up to 10 seconds, 10 times in a row. Just don't push yourself too hard or too fast. At worst, you may lose your concentration during the Kegels, and other muscles can get involved. At first, find a quiet place to practice – later, you'll be able to do them while stuck in traffic, standing in a queue or waiting at the bus stop. If you noticed that you could do 100 Kegels without your muscles feeling tired, you may want to try a new exercise.
5. Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Another important point that this article displays is that Kegel exercises are easy to perform and can be done at any time and any place without others knowing you are doing them. This, in itself, makes them more desirable as a prevention and treatment for various problems of the pelvic floor muscles. This article also brings up another important issue that men who are suffering from incontinence can very much benefit from the use of Kegel exercises. It is unfortunately a common mistaken belief that Kegel exercises are only for women. This article, above all, dispels that pure myth and helps men to see that there is an effective solution to their problem. Men who experience urinary, especially after prostate removal surgery, often have stress incontinence due to the sphincter being weakened or damaged. Kegel exercises can aid in the strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles and the urinary sphincter, which will eventually reduce or cure leakage. This will prevent further embarrassment and social issues related to this problem.
In conclusion, this article shows persuasive proof that the routine performance of Kegel exercises renders those of all age groups more in control of their bladder, urine flow, and pelvic floor muscles, which in itself is a major point of prevention for incontinence problems. The exercises have also been successful in aiding both men and women who have been suspected by a healthcare provider to have urinary or fecal incontinence. Incontinence is a very sensitive and discomforting topic to many as it is frequently associated with the effects of aging, but it is not a problem that must be endured at any age. Kegel exercises have also been proven to reduce urinary urgency and frequency. These exercises are a much better alternative than using medication for these problems, which often times can be ineffective for this condition and cause other more serious side effects.