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kegel exercise

Kegel exercises are not only proven to do all these things and more but gynecologists have consistently recommended these exercises for their patients of all ages and in many conditions. In fact, they have been doing this for decades and they would’ve stopped with the recommendations many years ago if Kegels were ineffective. While we’re on the subject of strengthening the muscles of your pelvic floor, let’s further discuss why this is so important. Over time, women’s pelvic floor muscles weaken due to things such as childbirth, menopause, hormones, and the overall aging process. This can lead to a host of physical and even emotional problems including incontinence, the inability to enjoy sex or achieve orgasm, and much more. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help address sexual problems by improving chronic vaginal or pelvic pain and urinary incontinence.

There are two key benefits of using kegel balls on a regular basis—for pelvic floor strengthening and also enhanced sexual pleasure. Bladder incontinence is extremely common among adults and it will affect many of us as we get older. Stress incontinence is one of the main reasons that adults lose their bladder control and this is caused by a weak pelvic floor. If the pelvic floors aren’t strong enough then even the simplest actions like sneezing, laughing or jumping can cause us to leak urine.

If she feels the muscles tighten and move up, then down upon release, she is doing the Kegel correctly. One can practice this while sitting on the toilet by urinating then suddenly holding in the urine flow. If urine leaks out during the contraction, the woman is probably pushing her muscles down, not up.

I recommend connecting with a pelvic floor physical therapist ASAP. At this point you can practice pulsing around it, with special attention to relaxing fully. Alternatively, you can practice gently pulling on the string, as if you were going to pull it out, and tightening the muscles to prevent it from being pulled out.

Exercising your pelvic floor muscles also helps to tone the muscles of the vagina, which can enhance sexual health and enjoyment. In fact, research has shown a strong link between weakened pelvic floor muscles and sexual dysfunction. Kegels are a noninvasive, easy way for women to prevent or lessen incidents of urinary incontinence. Kegels are also good exercises for men, particularly those who have had prostate surgery. These muscles squeeze on the urethra to keep it closed at rest and also keep the urethra closed during movement or when coughing, laughing or sneezing. If these muscles do not contract well, then urine will leak from the bladder under pressure.

It is estimated that half of all women over age 50 experience some degree of POP, and many women must undergo surgical procedures to correct it. Just like any muscle, the pelvic floor is susceptible to overextension, strains, and even tears. Pick a light weighted kegel ball and reduce the amount of repetitions you do of your kegel exercises until your strength builds up. Now that you have almost all the info on Kegel weights, do you think you’ll be giving them a try? If you’re looking to decrease leaks, strengthen your pelvic floor, or become a sexual wizard, then it might be a great choice. And, if you are using Kegel exercises to decrease leaks, you should also check out Lily Bird’s bladder leak pads.

There are a number of muscles extending from inside of the public bone to the anus and for women also woven around the vagina, urethra and rectum. These muscles help to indirectly control contractions of the detrusor muscle and the urethra pressures. The pelvic floor muscles relax allowing urination and close to allow urination to cease. The contraction of the pelvic floor muscles closes the lower urethra which squeezes any remaining urine back into the bladder. If you’re unsure whether or not this is true, simply ask a doctor or do some online research.

Some people don’t clean their kegel exercise balls often enough. Not cleaning the balls frequently enough can place you at risk of a pH imbalance, irritations and urinary tract infections, so it’s crucial to clean the whole ball thoroughly. If the ball comes with a string, keep the string as clean as possible, since it can pose health issues over time, even if it’s not fully inside you. Doing kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor is a great way to improve both your bladder control and your sexual health.

Try to lift the feather up a little higher each time, and to control the feather as it comes down with a slow release. Try using a breathing ratio of inhaling for two seconds, exhale for three seconds. Remember it’s equally important to practice the controlled, slow release of the muscles as it is to practice tensing them uptight. Emilie Lavinia is a writer, entrepreneur and women’s wellbeing advocate. She is passionate about femtech, closing the gender health gap and campaigning for education and transparency across mental, physical and sexual health. Lay down and insert the kegel ball into your vagina—check out our guide to the best lubes if you want some extra lubrication.