Your Guide to Kegel Exercises

Regularly doing Kegel exercises during and after pregnancy increases the strength, elasticity, and function of these pelvic muscles. It can also help prevent common postpartum issues such as incontinence and other pelvic floor problems. 

 

The great news is that you can do Kegel exercises anytime and anywhere!

 

Why Kegel exercises are important

 

When your body goes through experiences like pregnancy, delivery, surgery, aging, constipation or being overweight, your pelvic floor muscles may get weakened with time naturally. 

 

If the following sounds familiar to you, you may benefit from practicing Kegel exercises:

• You experience urine leakages, even in small amounts, when coughing, sneezing or laughing

• You experience stool leakages, also known as fecal incontinence

 

Kegel exercises can be practiced both during and after pregnancy to improve the severity of such symptoms. 

 

How to do Kegel exercises

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• Identify your pelvic floor muscles

This can be done simply by stopping urination midstream, and feeling which muscles are being used. You may also prefer to lie down for your first time doing Kegel exercises to be comfortable!

• Practice your technique

To do this exercise, imagine sitting on a marble and trying to lift it by tightening your pelvic floor muscles. You may try doing this for a few seconds, and then relaxing, then repeating the exercise.

• Focus on only tightening your pelvic floor muscles

Be careful not to tighten the muscles in your thighs, buttocks or abdomen, and instead just focus only on your pelvic floor muscles – remember to breathe normally too!

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This exercise can be repeated 10-15 times a day, split into three sets for best results. You can also do this anytime and anywhere, which makes it an easy exercise to incorporate into your daily routine! Whether you’re lying in bed before sleeping, or sitting at your work desk – you can practice this exercise.

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Keeping up with this simple exercise regularly will allow you to expect results as fast as within a few weeks. If you’re having trouble doing this exercise, it is alright to ask for help too. Come down to Emkore Clinic for a consultation if you are struggling from urinary incontinence and let our therapist help you through our personalized treatment options.