How to do the best Kegels ever.

Kegels are the most common Pelvic Floor exercise, but few are doing it right.

Okay, first things first. Let’s understand who should not be doing kegels.
If you identify with any of the below, Kegels are not your friend -
- You have pelvic pain. This can be pain with insertion — with sex or insertion of a tampon or menstrual cup.
- You have very heavy & painful periods. Very crampy and painful periods can often cause tightness in the Pelvic Floor, which Kegels can make worse.
- You have a hard time emptying your bladder and bowels completely. That is, you feel a little left over pee after going to the bathroom and/or you suffer from constipation.
- You have chronic low back and/or hip pain.

Now that you know that you’re in the “okay to Kegel” group, lets learn how to do them well.

“49% had an ideal Kegel effort - a significant increase in the force of urethral closure. 25% displayed a Kegel technique that could potentially promote incontinence.”

Bump et al, 1991

The above study found that with verbal instructions, only about half of all people are able to Kegel correctly, with a quarter actually using techniques that would worsen the issues they were having.

Here are some tips to help you Kegel better -

• Kegel in different positions. Most people have to maintain bladder control in more positions than laying flat on their backs — so try Kegeling standing up, kneeling, with one leg in a lunge position and in a seated butterfly position like the image above.
• Don’t just do the tightening Kegel, do the reverse Kegel as well. Would you just hold a dumbbell and pull your forearm in to strengthen your biceps?
  Probably not. You would bend *and* straighten your elbow to work the muscle through its full range. Similarly, you should tighten and lift up your Pelvic Floor, and drop it down & relax.
• Learn to coordinate your Kegels with Breath. Don’t know what that means? Watch the video below then.
  Bonus, it also walks you through what a Reverse Kegel is!

Think you need some hands-on care with doing your Kegels correctly? Reach out to your local Pelvic Floor Therapist — most offer in-person and virtual consultations.

Originally published at https://pelvicfloorbuffalo.com on September 26, 2020.