MenoLabs News | Thu, Jan 30, 2025

Kegel exercises are a great way to strengthen our pelvic floor muscles. Our pelvic floor muscles are like a hammock that supports our bladder, uterus, and rectum. Strengthening these muscles can:

-          Improve bladder control and improve incontinence

-          Improve bowel control

-          Reduce symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse

-          Enhance sexual health and satisfaction

 

Kegels can be an incredible tool, but many people perform them incorrectly, which can limit their effectiveness. Consulting with a pelvic floor physical therapist – the real experts in this area – is the best way to ensure we do Kegels correctly and can individualize these exercises for your specific needs.

 

How to Find Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

Before jumping into Kegels, let’s first locate our pelvic floor muscles. Here are a couple ways to identify them:

1.    Stopping Urine Midstream: The next time you urinate, try stopping the flow of urine briefly, then start again. The muscles you use to do this are your pelvic floor muscles. It is important to note that this is just a tool to locate the muscles. Avoid doing Kegels while urinating since it can lead to bladder issues.

2.    Vaginal Squeeze: Try squeezing your vaginal muscles, as if you are holding in a tampon or preventing gas from passing, that’s our pelvic floor muscles working.

3.    Mirror Check: Sit in front of a mirror and gently contract your pelvic floor muscles. You may notice your vaginal and anal area pulls slightly inwards and upwards.

 

Step-by-Step Guide to Doing Kegel Exercises

1. Get Comfortable: Sit, lie down, or stand in a comfortable position. Many beginners find it easiest to practice Kegels while lying down.
2. Relax Your Body: Take a few deep breaths and relax your abdominal, thigh, and buttock muscles. Only your pelvic floor muscles should be working. A lot of the mistakes of doing Kegels occur when we activate our abdominal muscles rather than our pelvic muscles.
3. Engage the Pelvic Floor:
• Imagine you’re stopping the flow of urine or holding in gas.
• Squeeze and lift the muscles gently—you should feel a pulling sensation upwards and inwards.
• Avoid holding your breath. Breathe normally.
4. Hold the Contraction:
• Hold the squeeze for 3 to 5 seconds (or as long as you can without straining).
• Gradually work up to holding for 10 seconds over time.
5. Release and Rest:
• Fully relax the muscles for 5 to 10 seconds before doing another repetition. It’s important to fully release to avoid overworking the muscles.
6. Repeat:
• Aim for 10 repetitions per session.

 

How Often to Do Kegels

Consistency is key to seeing results! For maximum benefit, follow this schedule:

• Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions daily (morning, afternoon, and evening).
• You can notice improvements in about 4 to 6 weeks when practicing consistently.

 

Tips for Success

1. Focus on Quality: It’s better to do a few Kegels correctly than to rush through many repetitions with poor form.
2. Don’t Overdo It: Overworking your pelvic floor can lead to muscle fatigue or tightness, which may cause discomfort.
3. Avoid Common Mistakes:
• Don’t use your abdominal, thigh, or buttock muscles.
• Don’t hold your breath.
4. Be Patient: Pelvic floor muscles take time to strengthen. Celebrate small improvements along the way.

 

When to Seek Help

If you experience any of the following, consider consulting a pelvic floor physical therapist or your healthcare provider:

• Difficulty identifying or engaging the right muscles.
• Pain or discomfort during Kegels.
• No improvement in symptoms after consistent practice.
• Worsening symptoms (like increased urgency or prolapse symptoms).

 

 

Kegels can be an effective exercise that we can do on our own time to support and strengthen our pelvic floor muscles so they can stay strong as we age.

 

Kegel exercises references:

 

Huang YC, Chang KV. Kegel Exercises. 2023 May 1. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 32310358.

 

Abu Raddaha AH, Nasr EH. Kegel Exercise Training Program among Women with Urinary Incontinence. Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Nov 24;10(12):2359. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10122359. PMID: 36553882; PMCID: PMC9777910.

 

Brubaker, L, Barbieri, R, Eckler, K. Patient Educations: Pelvic Floor muscle exercises (Beyond the Basics). In: UpToDate, Connor RF (Ed), Wolters Kluwer. (updated May 5, 2023).

 

The information found in this blog shall not be considered medical advice and is being provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your healthcare provider should you have any questions or concerns.