For certain types of urinary leakage, we may recommend exercises of the vaginal walls. This can help make the muscles under the uterus, bladder, and bowel (large intestine) stronger.
Kegel exercises can be done any time you are sitting or lying down. You can do them when you are eating, sitting at your desk, driving, and when you are resting or watching television.
How to find the Right Muscles
A Kegel exercise is like pretending you have to urinate and then holding it. You relax and tighten the muscles that control urine flow. It’s important to find the right muscles to tighten.
The next time you have to urinate, start to go and then stop. Feel the muscles in your vagina, bladder, or anus get tight and move up. These are the pelvic floor muscles. If you feel them tighten, you’ve done the exercise right.
If you still are not sure you are tightening the right muscles try inserting a finger into your vagina. Tighten the muscles as if you are holding in your urine, then let go. You should feel the muscles tighten and move up and down.
It is always best to ask our provider how to perform this and check to see if you are using the right technique!
How often should you perform Kegel Exercises?
Once you know what the movement feels like, do Kegel exercises three times a day:
- Make sure your bladder is empty, then sit or lie down.
- Tighten the pelvic floor muscles. Hold tight and count to 10.
- Relax the muscles and count to 10.
- Perform ten quick tightenings consecutively.
- Relax the muscles and count to 10.
- Repeat 10 times, three times a day (morning, afternoon, and night).
If you cannot hold muscles tight for a count of 10, start with a count of 4 or 5, then work up to 10. Breathe deeply, and relax your body when you are doing these exercises. Make sure you are not tightening your stomach, thigh, buttock, or chest muscles.
After 3 months, you should feel better and have fewer symptoms. Keep doing the exercises, but do not increase how many you do. Overdoing it can lead to straining when you urinate or move your bowels.
Some notes of caution:
- Once you learn how to do them, do not practice Kegel exercises at the same time you are urinating. Doing the exercises while you are urinating can damage your urinary tract over time.
- Performing Kegel exercises incorrectly or with too much force may cause vaginal muscles to tighten too much. This can cause pain during sexual intercourse.
- Incontinence will return if you stop doing these exercises. Once you start doing them, you may need to do them for the rest of your life.
- Be patient- it will take several months to see significant improvement.