Kegel Exercises - What you need to know
Friday, January 18th, 2008What is a Kegel?
Your pelvic-floor muscles act as a sling for the bladder, uterus and rectum. One of the most important long-term health recommendations for healing and recovering after birth is to do Kegel exercises. Kegels help keep your pelvic-floor muscles strong during pregnancy, help get them back in shape after delivery and possibly prevent urinary incontinence as you age.
How to do a Kegel:
Stop the flow of urine the next time you’re emptying your bladder. This will let you know what muscles to use. To do a Kegel, squeeze and hold those same muscles for 10 seconds and then slowly release. Squeeze again and release. Do 20 repetitions 5 times each day. As these muscles become stronger you can hold for 5 or 10 seconds each time.
When to do Kegel Exercises:
Anytime! Since you are contracting and releasing Internal Muscles no one will notice when you are actively engaging these pelvic floor muscles. You can do them anytime. In order not to miss a day, find something that you do often such as sitting at a red light, watching t.v. or unloading the dishwasher and let that be your signal to work those core muscles and Kegel away!