Kegel, or pelvic floor muscle exercises are done to strengthen the muscles which support the urethra, bladder, uterus and rectum. Kegel exercises were developed by a gynecologist, Arnold Kegel, to help his patients with problems of urinary leakage. The muscles surrounding the urethra are sometimes weak, and people complained of urine leaking out. The exercises helped to improve or restore full muscle tone to the Pubococcygeus (pronounced pew-bo-kak-se-gee-us) muscle. This muscle surrounds both the urinary opening and the opening to the vagina. The “P.C.” muscle, like any other muscle in your body, responds to exercise and should be kept in good shape. What he found as an added benefit, was that patients reported their sex lives had also improved.
Why should I do Kegel’s?
• improves sexual awareness and arousal
• increases circulation and elasticity in the genital area
• restores muscle tone after childbirth
• helps with urinary control
How do I find my P.C. muscle?
Sit on the toilet. Spread your legs apart. Now, without moving your legs, try to stop and start the flow of urine. The P.C. muscle is the one that turns the flow on and off. If you don’t find it at first, don’t gie up; try again the next time you have to urinate. It may take awhile for you to strengthen your muscles enough to control urine flow. Don’t be discouraged.
How do I do Kegel’s now that I found the P.C. muscle?
Slow Kegels:
Tighten the P.C. muscle as you did to stop urine. Hold it for a count of three. Relax it.
Quick Kegel’s:
Tighten and relax the P.C. muscle as rapidly as you can.
Pull in – Push out:
Pull up the entire pelvic floor as if you are trying to suck water into your vagina. Then push out or bear down as if you are trying to pushe the imaginary water out. This exercise will use a number of stomach or abdominal muscles as well as the P.C. muscle.
At first, repeat each exercise three times and do them 5 times a day. Each week, try to increase the number of times you do each exercise.
• You can do these exercises while driving, watching TV, sitting in class or at your desk, lying in bed, or whatever. No one will see what you are doing.
• Sometimes the muscles will start to feel tired. Not surprising—you probably haven’t used it very much before. Take a few seconds, then rest and start again.
• The more you exercise your P.C. muscle, the stronger it will become, and your control of the muscle will increase.
• To check for improvement, insert 1 or 2 clean and lubricated fingers into your vagina. Squeeze and see if there is increased pressure on your fingers.
Good luck!
