A Brief Self-Care Guide of Kegel Exercises for Beginners
If you are someone who is experiencing urine leakage or urine incontinence then kegel exercise is something you can do to begin your pelvic healing journey.
Just so you know, you don't have to visit a doctor for your pelvic muscle strength.
A few simple Kegel exercises can help you achieve a strong and healthy pelvic floor. And what makes these Kegel exercises even more interesting is that these are regular exercises that you can do from the comfort of your home.
Kegel exercises are important in strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor is responsible for holding your rectum, small intestine, bladder, and uterus in women which is why weak pelvic floor muscles are more common in women.
Kegel exercises or pelvic floor training can help hold pelvic muscles together without you having to put in any extra effort. The simple clench and release exercises can also be done while standing in a queue.
Kegel exercise is also great for post-pregnancy pelvic strengthening. Even if you are an expecting mother, strengthening the pelvic floor is important as these are the set of muscles responsible for controlling your bowels and bladder.
Fortunately, once you understand Kegel exercises you can start doing them even while reading this.
Why are Kegel Exercises Important?
Kegel exercises support pelvic organs and are important to prevent pelvic prolapse. Pelvic floor disorder can arise if you have gone through an internal uterus surgery such as a C-section, have loose uterus muscles after childbirth, or have gained weight.
In this simple guide, we have prepared special Kegel exercises for beginners. However, before we begin it is important to understand the benefits of Kegel exercises.
Benefits of Kegel Exercises for Beginners
Kegel exercises are important if you are experiencing urine or stool incontinence. You may experience urine leakage or fecal leakage as the starting signs of loose pelvic muscles. The signs may be the following;
- Leak a few drops of urine when you sneeze cough or laugh aloud
- Releasing large amounts of urine before having to experience a sudden urge to immediately urinate
- Leak stool
If not cared for, pelvic pain or loose pelvic muscles can eventually lead to severe pelvic organ prolapse. In such conditions all of the organs held by your pelvic region come down to your vagina, leading to severe vaginal discomfort during urine passing and intercourse. In such circumstances, vaginal surgery is done to reverse pelvic prolapse.
How do I find my Pelvic Floor Muscles?
Pelvic floors are sling-like muscles that run between the front of your pubic bone to the back of your tailbone. You can easily feel your pelvic muscles when you try to hold your urine. As you feel a slight tightness in your lower muscles, that is your cue of identifying the right pelvic muscles.
If you are still unsure whether it's the pelvic muscle tightness that you are feeling then simply insert a finger in your vagina and tighten your muscles the way you would when you hold your urine. You will feel a slight muscle tightness around your finger.
Doing Kegel Exercises to Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles
For this exercise, you only have to work on your pelvic muscles and keep your abdomen, buttocks, and thigh muscles relaxed.
Begin with emptying your bladder, make sure you do not have any urge to urinate or defecate when doing kegel exercises. Now sit in a comfortable position and tighten your pelvic floor muscles. While you have done so, slowly count to the hold of 10. Now relax your muscles to the count of 10. This was your first pelvic exercise set.
Do this at least 10 times a day, dividing your exercise time in the morning, evening, and before sleep.
You can easily do these kegel exercises at any place. Work, home, lying down or on your outing, these kegel exercises are super easy to perform.
You may start noticing some changes in your bladder control after consistently doing it for 4-6weeks. For a major change, it may take as long as 3 months.
You can also immediately do a pelvic floor contraction exercise whenever you are likely to leak.
A Word of Caution when doing Kegel Exercises!
Some people believe that speeding up their pelvic exercise activity can heal their pelvic muscles faster. However, straining your delicate pelvic muscles can cause more damage than healing.
Wrapping it Up!
If done the right way your pelvic floor muscles can heal over time. For more effective results make sure to use a set of good medically approved kegel weights. If you experience any discomfort while doing a kegel exercise immediately consult with your doctor.