Pelvic floor exercises --- also known as Kegels, after the doctor who developed them --- strengthen the muscle fibers in the pelvic diaphragm. To perform pelvic floor exercises, tighten and squeeze the muscles that you would use to stop urine flow. Try tightening the pelvic diaphragm muscles several times each day, for about 10 seconds at a time. You can expect a few different benefits from performing regular pelvic floor exercises, depending on your specific needs.
Incontinence
If you experience urinary leakage when you cough, laugh, sneeze, or during other activities, pelvic floor exercises may be able to help you decrease the leakage, Dr. Frederick Jelovsek writes for BackupMD. Expect to perform the exercises regularly for about three months before you notice an improvement with incontinence. Jelovsek also points out that if you stop doing the exercises, you will lose any benefits gained from it.
Pelvic Floor Disorders
Pelvic floor disorders are hernias where an organ --- either the bladder, uterus, or rectum --- protrudes abnormally due to weak supportive pelvic floor muscles, according to the Merck Manual. Regular performance of Kegel exercises may help lessen the severity of the disorder; however, surgery may be necessary to completely reverse the problem. If you undergo surgery for a pelvic floor disorder, expect to incorporate pelvic floor exercises in your rehabilitation schedule.
Sex
A loss of sensitivity in the vagina can hamper your sex life. This problem is especially common for women who have recently undergone childbirth. If you suffer from this decrease in sensitivity, you can expect pelvic floor exercises to help regain more feeling. New York's Hospital for Special Surgery suggests that pelvic floor exercises can enhance sexual pleasure during orgasm, and that you can expect an improvement after several weeks of consistent practice.
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