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The more the better. Most instructions say to aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.
Make a practice of fitting in a set of Kegel exercises when you do a routine task, such as checking email or while having morning coffee. Many women have developed a good habit of doing them when stopping at each stop light when driving until the light turns green again.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoKegel exercises are a series of pelvic muscle exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor.
Alternative NamesPelvic muscle strengthening exercises; Pelvic floor exercises
InformationKegel exercises are recommended for:
- Women with urinary stress incontinence
- Some men who have urinary incontinence after prostate surgery
- People who have fecal incontinence
Kegel exercises can help strengthen the muscles under the uterus, bladder, and bowel (large intestine). They can help both men and women who have problems with urine leakage or bowel control.
A Kegel exercise is like pretending that you have to urinate, and then holding it. You relax and tighten the muscles that control urine flow. It's important to find the right muscles to tighten.
The next time you have to urinate, start to go and then stop. Feel the muscles in your vagina, bladder, or anus get tight and move up. These are the pelvic floor muscles. If you feel them tighten, you've done the exercise right.
If you are still not sure whether you are tightening the right muscles. keep in mind that all of the muscles of the pelvic floor relax and contract at the same time. Because these muscles control the bladder, rectum, and vagina, the following tips may help:
- Women: Insert a finger into your vagina. Tighten the muscles as if you are holding in your urine, then let go. You should feel the muscles tighten and move up and down.
- Men: Insert a finger into your rectum. Tighten the muscles as if you are holding in your urine, then let go. You should feel the muscles tighten and move up and down.
It is very important that you keep the following muscles relaxed while doing Kegel exercises:
- Abdominal
- Buttocks
- Thigh
A woman can also strengthen these muscles by using a vaginal cone, which is a weighted device that is inserted into the vagina. Then you try to contract the pelvic floor muscles to hold the device in place.
If you are unsure whether you are doing the Kegel correctly, you can use biofeedbackand electrical stimulation to help find the correct muscle group to work.
- Biofeedback is a method of positive reinforcement. Electrodes are placed on the abdomen and along the anal area. Some therapists place a sensor in the vagina in women or anus in men to monitor the contraction of pelvic floor muscles.
- A monitor will display a graph showing which muscles are contracting and which are at rest. The therapist can help find the right muscles for performing Kegel exercises.
PERFORMING PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES:
1. Begin by emptying your bladder.
2. Tighten the pelvic floor muscles and hold for a count of 10.
3. Relax the muscle completely for a count of 10.
4. Do 10 exercises, 3 times a day (morning, afternoon, and night).
You can do these exercises at any time and any place. Most people prefer to do the exercises while lying down or sitting in a chair. After 4 - 6 weeks, most people notice some improvement. It may take as long as 3 months to see a major change.
After a couple of weeks, you can also try doing a single pelvic floor contraction at times when you are likely to leak (for example, while getting out of a chair).
A word of caution: Some people feel that they can speed up the progress by increasing the number of repetitions and the frequency of exercises. However, overexercising can instead cause muscle fatigue and increase urine leakage.
If you feel any discomfort in your abdomen or back while doing these exercises, you are probably doing them wrong. Some people hold their breath or tighten their chest while trying to contract the pelvic floor muscles. Relax and concentrate on contracting just the pelvic floor muscles.
When done the right way, Kegel exercises have been shown to be very effective in improving urinary continence.
ReferencesHolroyd-Leduc JM, Tannenbaum C, Thorpe KE, Straus SE. What type of urinary incontinence does this woman have? JAMA. 2008;299:1446-1456.
Rogers RG. Clinical practice. Urinary stress incontinence in women. N Engl J Med. 2008;358:1029-1036.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoKegel exercises are a series of pelvic muscle exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor.
Alternative NamesPelvic muscle strengthening exercises; Pelvic floor exercises
InformationKegel exercises are recommended for:
- Women with urinary stress incontinence
- Some men who have urinary incontinence after prostate surgery
- People who have fecal incontinence
Kegel exercises can help strengthen the muscles under the uterus, bladder, and bowel (large intestine). They can help both men and women who have problems with urine leakage or bowel control.
A Kegel exercise is like pretending that you have to urinate, and then holding it. You relax and tighten the muscles that control urine flow. It's important to find the right muscles to tighten.
The next time you have to urinate, start to go and then stop. Feel the muscles in your vagina, bladder, or anus get tight and move up. These are the pelvic floor muscles. If you feel them tighten, you've done the exercise right.
If you are still not sure whether you are tightening the right muscles. keep in mind that all of the muscles of the pelvic floor relax and contract at the same time. Because these muscles control the bladder, rectum, and vagina, the following tips may help:
- Women: Insert a finger into your vagina. Tighten the muscles as if you are holding in your urine, then let go. You should feel the muscles tighten and move up and down.
- Men: Insert a finger into your rectum. Tighten the muscles as if you are holding in your urine, then let go. You should feel the muscles tighten and move up and down.
It is very important that you keep the following muscles relaxed while doing Kegel exercises:
- Abdominal
- Buttocks
- Thigh
A woman can also strengthen these muscles by using a vaginal cone, which is a weighted device that is inserted into the vagina. Then you try to contract the pelvic floor muscles to hold the device in place.
If you are unsure whether you are doing the Kegel correctly, you can use biofeedbackand electrical stimulation to help find the correct muscle group to work.
- Biofeedback is a method of positive reinforcement. Electrodes are placed on the abdomen and along the anal area. Some therapists place a sensor in the vagina in women or anus in men to monitor the contraction of pelvic floor muscles.
- A monitor will display a graph showing which muscles are contracting and which are at rest. The therapist can help find the right muscles for performing Kegel exercises.
PERFORMING PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES:
1. Begin by emptying your bladder.
2. Tighten the pelvic floor muscles and hold for a count of 10.
3. Relax the muscle completely for a count of 10.
4. Do 10 exercises, 3 times a day (morning, afternoon, and night).
You can do these exercises at any time and any place. Most people prefer to do the exercises while lying down or sitting in a chair. After 4 - 6 weeks, most people notice some improvement. It may take as long as 3 months to see a major change.
After a couple of weeks, you can also try doing a single pelvic floor contraction at times when you are likely to leak (for example, while getting out of a chair).
A word of caution: Some people feel that they can speed up the progress by increasing the number of repetitions and the frequency of exercises. However, overexercising can instead cause muscle fatigue and increase urine leakage.
If you feel any discomfort in your abdomen or back while doing these exercises, you are probably doing them wrong. Some people hold their breath or tighten their chest while trying to contract the pelvic floor muscles. Relax and concentrate on contracting just the pelvic floor muscles.
When done the right way, Kegel exercises have been shown to be very effective in improving urinary continence.
ReferencesHolroyd-Leduc JM, Tannenbaum C, Thorpe KE, Straus SE. What type of urinary incontinence does this woman have? JAMA. 2008;299:1446-1456.
Rogers RG. Clinical practice. Urinary stress incontinence in women. N Engl J Med. 2008;358:1029-1036.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 06/17/2010
Scott Miller, MD, Urologist in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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Can healthy people do Kegel exercises?
Kegel exercises are completely safe for a healthy person to do.
What are the benefits of kegel exercises?
Kegel exercises are beneficial in that they help control the muscles which control ones bladder. Women who are pregnant often do kegel exercises to help strengthen their pelvic muscles.
How do you pronounce Kegel?
KEY-gul. The gynecologist who developed pelvic floor muscle exercises now known as Kegel exercises or "Kegels" was Dr. Arnold Kegel, who was an early proponent of the exercises. His original pelvic toning device was called the "perineometer".
How can vaginal muscles be strengthened?
Kegel exercises can strengthen vaginal muscles. The Kegel exercises are recommended for development of bladder control and for improvement in one's personal sexual skills. The notion that the Kegel exercises will improve one's personal sexual skills is not without debate, althought there is little question that Kegel exercises can assist with bladder control, in both men and women.
What is the Kegel exercise for a dropped uterus?
Mild conditions of dropped uterus, aka Uterine Prolapse, can be helped by doing Kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor and vagina. Sometimes these conditions require surgical correction, however. The Kegel exercises are the same regardless of the condition being treated. See the related questions below for information and links about Kegel exercises and how to do them.
Can you do Kegel exercises when seated?
Yes. Many women do Kegel exercises when driving or when sitting with morning coffee as a routine part of the day. See more information in the related questions below.
What are some good pelvic floor exercises to try?
Some good pelvic floor exercises to try are Kegel exercises and Pilates. There are Kegel exercises for men and women. These exercises can help women recover muscle tone after pregnancy. http://pilates.about.com/od/technique/a/Pelvic-Floor-Muscles.htm
How old should a man be to do Kegel exercises?
Anyone of any age or sex can do Kegel exercises without harm or side effects. The efficacy may depend on age and reason for the exercises, since a very young male child would not be needing Kegel exercises for the purpose of treating erectile dysfunction, but it would be helpful if incontinence is a problem. See the related questions below for more information and links.
What exercise are fifty percent of women doing?
If they're smart, Kegel exercises.
What is the benefit of the kegel exercise?
Kegel exercises, also known as pelvic floor exercises, strengthen some of the muscles that control the flow of urine. Therefore these exercises help to prevent pelvic floor weakness, which could lead to stress incontinence or uterine prolapse.
Why might a woman practice her Kegel exercises?
Kegel exercises are practised by women who suffer from pelvic floor problems such as urinary incontinence or inability to achieve orgasm. Tightening and loosening the muscles rhythmically can strengthen the muscles and alleviate symptoms.
What are kegel excersice?
Kegel exercise is vaginal exercises! Helps the vaginal wall/cervix strengthen after childbirth.
