Contents
What are the exercises according to Kegel?
Pelvic floor muscle gymnastics includes movements that train the perineal area and pubococcygeus muscle.
In women, these muscles need to be strengthened after childbirth to treat postpartum incontinence. This is also used to treat vulvodynia (pain in the vulva).
This technique is very helpful for improving sexual intercourse, urinary and fecal incontinence, but also serves to prevent rectocele (rectal prolapse) and hemorrhoids.
There are also exercises, called reverse cones, which are performed in the opposite sense and serve to learn muscle relaxation in the pelvis.
What are the benefits of Kegel exercises for men?
The pelvic muscles serve to hold the pelvic organs in their anatomical position.
These organs are used for micturition, bowel movements and sexual life.
Benefits of Kegel exercises
For many men, urinary and fecal incontinence is a major problem. In most cases, these problems affect the elderly or those who have poor muscle tone.
Many men lose urine when coughing, sneezing or laughing. Uncontrolled urine loss also occurs at night or during unusual movements.
The Kegel exercises improve control over the bladder.
These exercises are also effective for incontinence caused by prostate problems (prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia).
The Kegel exercises should also be performed in case of fecal incontinence.
After pregnancy or after a cesarean section, women should perform the exercises to strengthen the muscles.
This improves the muscle tone of the vagina and pelvis.
Kegel exercises can strengthen the pubococcygeus muscle (part of the anus lifter) and prevent pelvic prolapse.
Kegel exercises are designed to improve sexual functions in men: some studies show that pelvic floor muscles increase the duration of erection and blood flow in the cavernous body.
Kegel movements improve sexual intercourse in people suffering from premature ejaculation and prolong the duration of sexual intercourse.
These exercises are recommended for people with weakness of the pelvic floor muscles, overweight, men after prostate surgery or diabetics.
These exercises are not intended to enlarge the penis.
Those who follow this method regularly usually have a positive opinion about it because it has led to good results.
Gymnastics to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles
After strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, the abdominal and gluteal muscles must be worked on daily.
The exercises must be done daily for two reasons:
1) The exercises increase the strength of the muscles of the pelvic floor. This must be strong enough to prevent urine loss.
2) The exercises improve the control and speed of muscle reactions.
At the first stimulus, the muscles activate immediately and prevent urinary leakage.
Each exercise is based on voluntary contraction and relaxation.
Tense the muscles for 5 seconds and then let loose for 5 seconds.
Repeat the exercise 15 times (one series).
A common mistake is to repeat the exercise without waiting for 30 seconds of rest after each series.
How to do the gymnastic exercises by cone for the perineum?
It is recommended to perform these exercises at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
Each session must consist of 45 repetitions. Every contraction and relaxation is a repetition.
The exercises are performed in all positions: 10 exercises lying down, 10 sitting and 10 standing.
It is not important to always do the exercises at the same time, but they should be done twice a day.
The following is an example of the exercise program:
In lying position: tense for 5 seconds and relax for 5 seconds, 15 repetitions.
In sitting position: tense for 5 seconds and relax for 5 seconds, 15 repetitions.
Standing: tense for 5 seconds and relax for 5 seconds, 15 repetitions.
When contracting, it is necessary to count to 10 and then slowly “1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10” during the period of muscle relaxation
Kegel basic exercise for men
To train the pelvic muscles, one must imagine stopping the flow of urine during urination, stopping for 5 seconds, then relaxing the muscles again. This is the simplest exercise.
You have to do 10 repetitions twice a day.
Variations of the exercises
There are different variations to this basic exercise. For example, you can tense all the muscles of the pelvic floor, including the posterior ones.
A correct contraction is achieved by imagining that you have to restrain flatulence.
Keep the muscles tense for 15-20 seconds, then relax for 20 seconds and repeat.
Do not stop breathing in order not to use other muscles, such as those of the abdomen, buttocks or thighs.
Relax the body and breathe normally.
Method according to Kegel for women
The loosening of the hips increases blood circulation in the pelvic area.
This exercise is used to warm up before starting muscle tension.
The woman stands and bends the pelvis forward and backward.
To push the pelvis forward, the buttocks are tensed and exhaled.
Loosen the muscles again and inhale to return to the starting position. Perform eight slow repetitions and eight fast repetitions.
Correct execution of Kegel exercises
1) Form
- The pelvic floor must not shift downwards.
- The back must be straight.
- Buttocks, abdomen and thighs must not stiffen when tensed.
- The person concerned must feel the muscles in the phase of relaxation.
- All muscles above the stomach must be relaxed.
- Do not hold your breath when performing the exercises.
- Always pay attention to the muscles during the exercises.
Insulate the upper pelvic floor muscles:
– In a sitting posture on a chair, legs slightly apart, upper body bent forward and arms supported on legs.
– Kneeling on the floor, buttocks on their heels, upper body tilted towards thighs and arms sideways.
2) Know
the muscles The woman must learn to control her pelvic floor muscles during micturition. It is helpful to repeat the exercises even during sexual intercourse.
Slow contractions strengthen muscle strength; the fast ones increase muscle reactions in terms of pressure.
3) Initial exercise A good initial exercise
consists of holding the contraction for 3 seconds and relaxing the muscles for 3 seconds. 10-15 repetitions.
The Kegel exercises work if the patient repeats them three times a day.
4) Advanced exercises If the initial exercises
are done without difficulty, one can move on to the advanced exercises.
- Rapid contractions: tense and relax pelvic floor muscles 10 times, perform the exercise over 15 seconds.
- Slow contractions: Tense the muscles for 5 seconds and then relax. Repeat 10 times and increase the duration of muscle contraction until reaching 50 seconds.
Exercises with equipment
There are various objects that can be used in the Kegel method, for example, vaginal cones to strengthen the pubic-coccyx muscle and feathers that are compressed when the legs close.
The exercises have no side effects or contraindications and are not harmful. The movements are simple and relaxing. If there is pain in the epigastric region after the exercises, the movements are wrong.
When headaches occur, the person uses the muscles of the chest and neck and probably also holds his breath. The exercises must not be performed during micturition.
In most cases, pelvic floor muscle strength improves six weeks after the start of exercise. After three months, patients already notice a significant improvement. Symptoms are slowly improving.
If the exercises are not performed properly, it can cause chest and abdominal pain.
Where and how to perform the Kegel exercises?
The exercises are effective if there are two sessions of five minutes each per day.
Many patients do the exercises for five minutes in the morning after awakening and five minutes before bedtime.
When can Kegel exercises be discontinued?
If there is no more urine loss, exercise sessions can be reduced to three times a week.
It is not recommended to stop the exercises completely. If urinary incontinence occurs again, the resumption of the exercise program with two sessions of 5 minutes daily is indicated.
Are the Kegel exercises also helpful for men?
Yes, experts consider the Kegel exercises to be very helpful for men as well. Researchers have discovered that a postoperative program (with Kegel exercises) improves bladder control after prostate surgery.
In men with erectile dysfunction, Kegel exercises are recommended for a period of six months to improve sexual intercourse.
Those who perform the exercises for the pelvic floor muscles regularly notice a significant improvement compared to others.
According to a scientific study, 40% of men regain normal erectile function after a six-month period of practice.
