Pelvic floor exercises consist of tightening and relaxing muscles in the pelvic region and genital area. Also known as Kegel exercises, these internal movements help keep your pelvic floor muscles strong and help to ensure maximum uterine, bladder and bowel control. Pelvic floor exercises can be enhanced with the use of small weights (cones) that are inserted into the vagina. Vaginal cones are available for purchase at most pharmacies.
Considerations
Several medical conditions can place undue stress on your pelvic floor muscles. The Mayo Clinic says these include pregnancy, childbirth, obesity and aging. In some cases, people are simply born with weak connective tissue. When your pelvic floor muscles lose strength, your pelvic organs move downward and protrude into your vagina causing a condition known as pelvic organ prolapse. Strengthening the pelvic floor with exercises and weights may help prevent prolapse from occurring.
Vaginal Cones
Vaginal cones encourage your pelvic muscles to stay in place. Vaginal cones come in a variety of weights or as one adjustable weight. You insert the size that you are able to keep in for one minute, one or two times a day. As your pelvic muscles build, you increase the weight and length time they are held in. As time goes on, you may be able to keep your vaginal cone inserted for up to 20 minutes at a time while carrying out normal activities at home.
Effectiveness
According to the Net Doctor website, in 1995, a group of Norwegian scientists determined that the use of vaginal cones resulted in increased muscle tone and better coordination of pelvic floor muscle activity. However, the researchers from the Department of Biology and Sport Medicine at the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education in Oslo, also found that vaginal cones are no more effective than pelvic floor muscle exercises without weights. The findings of the study were published in the "Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica."
Exercises
As you begin pelvic floor exercises with a vaginal cone, squeeze and lift the vaginal area while resisting the urge to tightening your abdominal muscles or buttocks. You will feel a pulling sensation in your genital area as you squeeze. One common pelvic exercise known as "quick flicks" involves tightening the muscles, lifting and releasing several times in a row.
Precautions
Vaginal cones must be inserted correctly as instructed by the manufacturer to be effective. Some women find the cone is prone to slippage even when they are properly placed. There have also been reports of vaginal bleeding and cases of vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina) as a result of using a weighted cone.
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