Pelvic floor exercises, or Kegels, strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor.These muscles contract and relax to help control the opening and closing of thebladder. There are two types of muscle fibers in the pelvic floor. The “fast” twitchmuscles help to prevent leakage of urine with coughing, sneezing or laughing. The“slow” twitch fibers help to keep the sphincter or valve closed at the end of yoururethra or the opening to the outside of your body. You need to exercise both ofthese muscle groups to control urinary leakage.
The pelvic floor muscles create a type of “hammock” that supports thepelvic organs, such as the bladder and uterus. If the “hammock” is weak, thesupport is not there and leakage of urine may result when there is pressure put onthe bladder. This increased pressure can occur suddenly with coughing, sneezing,laughing or exercising. By strengthening this muscle group, the “hammock” isstronger and the bladder does not descend and leak urine with the increasedpressure.
Pelvic floor exercises must be done every day to maintain effectiveness. Ifyou stop, the muscles will weaken again, much the same as if you stop exercisingany muscle in your body. Often, patients will not see much improvement for 3 to 4months so you need to be faithful to doing the exercises and patient!
These exercises are easy to do once you learn them properly. In fact, youcan do these exercises anywhere and no one will know that you are doing them!So, do the exercises when driving the car, in line at the store or stopped at redlights. Develop a routine that you will be able to stick with. Soon the exerciseswill become second nature and you will be able to contract the muscles as a reflexwhenever a “stress” occurs such as sneezing, coughing or laughing, lifting orbending.
Begin by locating the muscles to be exercised:
1. As you begin urinating, try to stop the flow of urine. This smallupward, lifting inward movement is the pelvic floor muscle. Do notexercise these muscles by stopping and starting urination. Onlydo this to help identify the muscle.
2.Another way of identifying the muscle is to imagine that you are in aroom full of friends at a party and feel like you are going to pass gas.Try squeezing the anus/rectal area as if trying not to pass gas.This should create a feeling of upward and inward motion as above.3.You should not bear down while exercising these muscles. Also youshould not be holding your breath. Your buttocks, abdomen and legmuscles should not be moving. If you are doing any of these, you areprobably trying too hard and not exercising the correct muscle, Ifyou continue to have problems, contact us at (334-262-4418).
Helpful Tips:
1.In the beginning, your muscles may be weak arid you may not be able tohold the contractions for longer than 2-4 seconds. It takes a lot of time tobuild up this endurance. For example, if you have never run a race before,you certainly would not be able to run the Boston Marathon! The sameapplies here; your pelvic floor muscles need time to build up enduranceand strength.2. You need to relax the muscles for twice the amount of time that youcontract them. For example, if you contract the muscles for 3 seconds,relax them for 6 seconds. This is one set. You should do as many sets asyou can until you cannot maintain the contraction for the amount of timeset aside. This means that your muscles are getting tired. Please rest at thispoint. You should then add two to this number and try that amount the nexttime you exercise, Over-exercising the muscle when it is tired does nothelp you at all and may cause some discomfort.
3. It is easier in the beginning to do these exercises lying down. As youbecome better able to contract/squeeze the pelvic floor muscles, progressto doing the exercises in a sitting position then a standing position. Doingthe exercises while standing is important since many times the “stress”situations occur while you are standing (i.e. sneezing, laughing, lifting, orbending over).
4.Plan on exercising the muscles at least 3 times a day, if not more, andabout 15 times each session to begin with. Increase the number ofcontractions from 15 as you get better at the exercises. Make exercising ahabit! Do exercises whenever you stop at a red light, answer thetelephone, see a commercial on television, take a shower, or walk the dog.By doing these exercises, soon you will be doing them without consciouslythinking about it!
5. Make sure you fully relax the pelvic floor between the “squeeze and hold”exercises for the “slow” twitch muscles. If you do not relax the musclesbetween contractions, they will tire out much quicker.
TWENTY MINUTES A DAY TO IMPROVED BLADDER CONTROLThese exercises may help:
Millions of women experience some degree of urinary incontinence or involuntaryurination. The following pelvic-floor exercises, called Kegel exercises, can helpyou to improve bladder control.
Before doing Kegel exercises, it is necessary to identify the pelvic-floor muscle.Place your finger inside your vagina. Squeeze around your finger. That’s themuscle you want to exercise. Once you’ve isolated the muscle several time, thereis no need to place your finger in your vagina to do the exercises.
Set aside some time in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Sit comfortablyupright and relax. Although this is an important exercise, there is no need to strain.
1. SQUEEZE AND HOLD FOR 10 SECONDS. THENRELAX FOR 10 SECONDS.…It is important to relax as it is to squeeze this muscle2. WHEN TO DO THIS EXERCISE. 15 times in the morning 15 times in the afternoon 20 times at night
Try to work up to doing 25 exercises at one time. Initially you may not be ableto hold the squeeze for 10 seconds. Don’t get discouraged. Over a 2-weekperiod, your technique should improve.
3. THINGS TO REMEMBER
A. Never use your stomach, legs or buttock muscles. Place your hand on yourabdomen while you are squeezing your pelvic floor muscles. You shouldonly be using your pelvic floor muscle.
B. Build strength slowly; don’t expect results right away.
C. The great thing about this exercise is that after you become familiar with it, itcan be done anyplace. No one can see you exercising this internal muscle.
4. WHEN YOU WILL SEE A CHANGE
After about 2 weeks of doing this exercise you should start to see improvement.
