For more than 60 years, Kegel exercises have helped new mothers and other patients improve the tone of their pelvic muscles and prevent or improve problems such as urinary incontinence. This simple, quick and often effective technique is named after Dr. Arnold Kegel, who developed it in 1948.
Pelvic Muscles
Kegel exercises involve repeated contracting and releasing of the muscles that keep your pelvic organs in place, preventing them from sagging and interfering with normal urinary and rectal functioning. To isolate the muscles, MedlinePlus recommends sitting on a toilet and beginning to urinate, then stopping your urine flow midstream. The muscles activated in that action are the same muscles you need to contract when doing Kegels. Alternately, women can insert a finger into the vagina, and men into the rectum, then tighten the muscles as they would if trying to stop urination. Health care providers can also help people pinpoint these muscles.
Technique and Frequency
For optimal benefits, do three sets of 10 Kegels---one contraction and one release--each day. Begin by contracting for three seconds, then releasing for three seconds, the Mayo Clinic recommends. Later, try four-second intervals. As you develop strength, work to the goal of contracting for 10 seconds, then releasing for 10 seconds--in sets of 10 Kegels, three times each day.
Patients
Several types of patients benefit from strengthening the muscles of their pelvic floor. Although the exercises were originally intended to help women who had been through childbirth, physicians later came to recommend them for men recovering from prostate surgery who have problems controlling their urine flow, women who have urinary stress incontinence and people with fecal incontinence, MedlinePlus notes. Prenatal counselors and physicians recommend that pregnant women do Kegel exercises to keep their pelvic floor muscles toned and prevent problems later. Women who have trouble reaching orgasm may also benefit from doing Kegels.
Habit
Kegels are effective only if you remember to do them. The Mayo Clinic recommends linking Kegel exercises to routine daily tasks such as reading email or sitting at red lights. That way, you begin to do them automatically.
Tips
Do not contract and release other muscle groups--those of the abdomen, thigh or buttocks, for instance--during Kegel exercises. Also, the Mayo Clinic emphasizes that you should not to hold your breath when doing Kegels, but breathe normally.
