What Are Kegels Exercises and Who Should Do Them
Before you start going Kegel crazy, it's important to talk with your doctor and book an appointment with a pelvic health physical therapist to find out if this type of muscle movement is right for you.There are many people who actually shouldn't do Kegels and for these individuals, they can cause more harm than good according to Jeffrey-Thomas. "If you are experiencing pelvic pain, have endometriosis, interstitial cystitis [a chronic condition that involves pain or pressure in the bladder or pelvic area], pain during sex, or have trouble fully emptying out your bladder, Kegels likely aren't right for you," she says. This is because Kegel exercises contract pelvic floor muscles, but people in the aforementioned situations need to focus more on relaxing their muscles to release existing pain or tightness, says Jeffrey-Thomas.
But there are plenty of situations when Kegel exercises can be helpful. One biggie: urinary incontinence. "Muscles surround the urethra, and their job is to make sure they're squeezing anytime you're sneezing, laughing, jumping, or doing anything else where there's an increase in pressure that could cause leakage," explains pelvic health physical therapist Mary Schuster, P.T., D.P.T. When these muscles are weak, they don't do as great of a job at preventing leakage when there's increased pressure, she says. (More: Does Cranberry Juice Really Help UTIs?)
Pelvic floor muscles can weaken for a variety of reasons, including pregnancy, childbirth, and chronic constipation, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. If you're experiencing leakage, that's a sure sign the muscles are a bit weak and it could be helpful to book an appointment with a pelvic floor specialist. Something important to note about doing Kegel exercises during pregnancy though: They can be helpful in early pregnancy, but in the later months (especially in the third trimester), the focus is on relaxing vaginal muscles to prepare for delivery — the exact opposite of what Kegels are designed to do — so you'd want to ensure you are balancing any Kegal work with relaxation techniques, such as deep stretching, later into pregnancy,says Schuster.
Another time Kegel exercises can come in handy is right in the middle of having sex. "Some people find that [Kegels] make it easier to reach orgasm and it can also be pleasurable to a penetrating partner as well," says Jeffrey-Thomas.
If that doesn't get you excited to do some Kegel exercises, nothing will. Learn exactly how to do Kegel exercises, straight from the pros.
