Kegels and other pelvic floor exercises, when done correctly and appropriately, are an effective first line therapy for the conditions listed above. For instance, research shows the following statistics when women with the following conditions follow an appropriate pelvic floor exercise program:
- Stress Urinary Incontinence: 73% cure rate; when paired with other conservative therapies (like medication) the rate goes up to 97%
- Overactive Bladder or Urge Incontinence: reduced feeling of urgency; decreased number of leakage incidents and the need to urinate at night
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse: less severe symptoms; can delay onset of prolapse; increase pelvic muscle strength
- Decreased Sexual Sensation: decreased urinary leakage during sex; increased desire and orgasms in non-orgasmic women; post-partum women report increased sexual satisfaction
The research clearly shows that Kegels, or pelvic muscle exercise programs, do work. So what’s up with all the women saying that Kegels don’t work?
What You May Not Know About Kegels
Pelvic exercise programs are like any other exercise program: they have to be done correctly and appropriately. What do we mean by “correctly and appropriately”?
Let’s start with the term “correct.” Did you know that 50% of women cannot do a correct pelvic floor muscle contraction following only written instructions? These women either engage the wrong muscles (such as the buttocks or thighs) or actually push their pelvic muscles down and out rather than pulling them upwards and inwards, which is correct. In this single statistic, we have half the female population unable to do a correct Kegel … so of course the exercise program is going to prove ineffective. The same result would happen if you did an incorrect lunge or squat at the gym. You wouldn’t get the desired results, and you could even injure yourself.
Now let’s talk about the word “appropriate.” Some pelvic floor exercise programs have women doing as many as 200 Kegels, or contractions, per session, and up to three sessions per day. This is way too many contractions, and can lead to hyper-toning of the pelvic muscles. Hypertonic pelvic muscles can lead to pelvic pain and other pelvic floor issues. In addition, this number and frequency of contractions is usually not appropriate for the average woman’s level of pelvic floor muscle tone.
To be “appropriate,” a pelvic floor muscle exercise program has to first assess your current level of pelvic fitness, and then start you with a matching number of pelvic floor contractions for the appropriate length of time. Assuming that all women can do the same number of of Kegels for the same length of time is like assuming that all women are capable of successfully participating in a tri-athalon today. It’s just not true and it is just not going to happen. Some women will be able to do three sets of 10 contractions from the beginning, while other women may need to start with just three contractions of only four seconds length. The exercise program has to be appropriate to your current level of pelvic fitness.
How Kegels Can Work for You
If you want to successfully use Kegels or pelvic floor contractions to reduce symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, or decreased sexual sensation, start by assessing your pelvic floor strength. Learn how with our ebook, which not only gives you step-by-step instructions on how to do a correct pelvic floor contraction, but helps you troubleshoot potential problems. Then you will be on your way to success with Kegels and realize that, yes, they really DO work!
Check out the “What’s Up Down There?” ebook here.
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