When performed correctly, the Kegel helps improve urinary incontinence 50 to 80 percent of the time, according to Discovery Health. Many doctors recommend Kegels for women with urinary incontinence and anyone with fecal incontinence. Without proper technique or regular exercise, you may fail to see results from Kegels and could make your problems worse.
Kegel Definition
Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, often referred or as the PC muscles or pubococcygeus muscles, through contraction and relaxation techniques, according to the Women's Health section of the American Physical Therapy Association. The pelvic floor describes a group of muscles that encircle the urethra, vagina and rectum. When performed correctly these openings close. For men, the penis will move slightly when contracting the pelvic floor muscles.
Procedure
Begin by trying to start and stop the flow or urine the next time you have to go to the bathroom. As you stop the flow of urine, feel the muscles around your bladder, vagina or anus tighten and move up. When this happens, you tighten the pelvic floor muscles and perform a Kegel exercise, MedlinePlus explains. If you do not feel your muscles tighten, you can insert a finger into your vagina or rectum and focus on tightening the pelvic floor muscles as if you were trying to hold your urine. You should feel the pelvic floor muscles tighten around your finger and move up and down.
Duration
Once you have found the pelvic floor muscles, you can begin practicing Kegel exercises throughout the day. Since Kegel exercises work internal muscles, you can practice anywhere and in any position. When first doing Kegel exercises, contract your pelvic muscles and hold for three to six seconds before relaxing, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Relax for three to six seconds and then repeat the contraction phase. Continue this process until you complete three to six contractions. If you feel your pelvic floor muscles tiring, stop. Try to increase your contraction time until you can hold your muscles tight for eight to 10 seconds. Many people see results by performing 30 repetitions throughout the day in sets of eight to 10 Kegels.
Results
Do not expect to see instant improvement in your pelvic floor muscles. Some people notice a little improvement in urinary incontinence or sexual function after four to six weeks of daily Kegel exercises, explains Dr. Donald Rudick, a urologist in St. Marys, Pennsylvania. However, it may take up to three months before you notice any major changes in your pelvic muscle strength.
Problems
You may fail to see results from Kegel exercises if you use the wrong muscles, perform too many Kegel exercises or do not perform Kegel exercises daily, advises Rudick. If you contract your abdominal, thigh or buttocks muscles while trying to do a Kegel, you place pressure on your pelvic organs, making incontinence worse. When you perform more than 30 to 50 Kegels a day, you can actually tire your pelvic floor muscles, which increases incontinence. Failure to perform Kegel exercises regularly will do little to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
References
- Dr. Donald Rudick; Urologist; St. Marys, Pennsylvania
- Discovery Health: Kegel Exercises
- American Physical Therapy Association: What is a Kegel?
- MedlinePlus: Kegel Exercises
- University of Michigan health System: Kegel Exercises
