Kegel exercises for urinary incontinence
Kegel exercises for urinary incontinence are one of the most effective non-drug methods for correcting this problem. With simple home workouts, you can tone your pelvic muscles, which will allow you to successfully control the work of the bladder.
Correct and regular performance of Kegel exercises makes it possible to see a positive result after a few sessions. The complex is useful for both men and women, whose urinary incontinence can be due to a variety of reasons.
Arnold Kegel is a renowned gynecologist practicing in the twentieth century. In the 30s of the last century, he developed his own system of exercises that are aimed at training the muscles of the pelvis and perineum. Its unique gymnastic complex has allowed many people to avoid surgery and improve the health of the urogenital area. Although the primary target audience of the doctor was women, his exercises turned out to be just as beneficial for men.
Content:
- The essence of Kegel exercises
- The benefits of Kegel exercises
- Important tips and tricks
- Kegel Exercise Rules
- Is Kegel gymnastics safe for urinary incontinence?
- Types of Kegel exercises
- A set of Kegel exercises for men and women
- Kegel exercises for men
The essence of Kegel exercises
There is no single treatment for urinary incontinence. The therapy plan largely depends on the neglect of the process and on the reasons that provoked this problem. With enuresis, doctors recommend starting with Kegel exercises, as with the safest and most effective method of action.
The process of urination is controlled by the work of the pelvic muscles. They, in turn, obey signals from the brain. If a failure occurs in this process at any stage, urine begins to flow out involuntarily.
Thanks to the Kegel gymnastic complex, the pelvic muscles are worked out, and the ability to control the process of emptying the bladder returns to people. The exercises do not take much time and are not difficult to implement. However, you need to do it regularly. If there are no contraindications, then any person can train Kegel.
The technique is based on frequent and consistent squeezing and relaxation of the urinary muscles. The initial compression interval should not be more than 3 seconds, but it should be gradually increased, bringing it to 20 seconds. During exercise, the muscles need to be strained as much as possible and try to keep this tension. The relaxation process should take place smoothly, in about the same period as the compression.
The benefits of Kegel exercises
With the systematic performance of Kegel exercises by both men and women, the following effects can be achieved:
- Normalize blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
- Increase the tone of the vaginal muscles in women and the muscles of the perineum in men.
- Get rid of urinary incontinence.
- Strengthen sexual health: increase libido, prolong erection.
- Thanks to Kegel exercises, women can prepare the body for easier childbirth, reduce the likelihood of tears, and also recover faster from them.
- Reduce the brightness of the manifestations of menopause.
- Rejuvenate the body.
Kegel exercises are an excellent non-drug method for the prevention of inflammatory diseases of the genital area. Regular exercise has a positive effect on your overall health.
Correct execution of the gymnastic complex will activate the muscles responsible for emptying the bladder.
Important tips and tricks
In order for Kegel exercises to be beneficial, you need to understand which muscles should be strained during exercise.
The following recommendations will allow you to feel the internal pelvic muscles:
- During the emptying of the bladder, you need to try to delay the stream of urine with an effort of will. It is at this moment that you will be able to maximally feel the muscles you need.
- Women can insert a finger into the vagina and try to grasp it internally. The stronger the girth, the better the pelvic muscles are developed.
- You can try to alternately tense and relax your pelvic muscles as you empty your bladder. But you shouldn't try too hard, they should work evenly and rhythmically.
- The bladder should be empty when you plan to do Kegel exercises. Otherwise, the risk of inflammation of the urethra and the development of an infectious process in the organs of the genitourinary system increases.
- It is strictly forbidden to do Kegel exercises while taking a hot bath. The vessels at this time are dilated, which threatens with a jump in blood pressure.
Kegel Exercise Rules
The gymnastic complex will be beneficial only if it is performed correctly. In this regard, the implementation technique is very important. When exercises are done with impairments, there will be no positive dynamics.
The basic rules for doing Kegel exercises are as follows:
- You can not start classes with an increased load. It should be increased gradually, as the muscle training grows.
- If the exercises are easy, then the load can be increased faster.
- Do not perform more than 30 repetitions of the same exercise at a time.
- You need to study in the system. Missing classes will negatively affect the result.
- When positive dynamics begins to be traced, do not stop training. Otherwise, progress will be quickly lost. However, the loads can be reduced.
- During exercise, you need to control the pelvic muscles. The muscles of the thighs and buttocks should not be used.
- Muscles must be contracted rhythmically and relatively quickly.
When performing a gymnastic complex, you should focus on 3 key techniques:
- Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, count to three and relax them.
- Squeeze the muscles moderately and hold them for 5 seconds.
- Do not relax the muscles, holding back a slight tension in them, count to three to yourself.
Is Kegel gymnastics safe for urinary incontinence?
Kegel gymnastics is not always safe.
It has a number of contraindications:
- You can not perform Kegel exercises for people who have recently undergone abdominal abdominal surgery.
- Do not exercise for men with a malignant or benign tumor of the prostate gland.
- Do not perform gymnastics in the presence of an acute infectious process in the body or inflammation of the pelvic organs.
- Do not perform Kegel exercises with exacerbations of heart and vascular diseases, as well as against the background of pelvic organ prolapse (at its last stage).
- It is not recommended to train the muscles of the perineum after a recent injury or surgery.
- You can not perform Kegel exercises against the background of hemorrhoids.
However, if a person has no contraindications, then Kegel exercises for urinary incontinence can be considered absolutely safe. However, a doctor's consultation will not be superfluous.
Types of Kegel exercises
- Exercise 1. "Reduction". Its essence boils down to alternating contraction and relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles. You need to perform an average of 10 repetitions, 3-4 times a day.
- Exercise 2. "Contents". The essence of the exercise is similar to the "Contractions", but at the same time during muscle tension, you should try to hold them in this state for a certain time (about 5 seconds with a further increase in the delay interval).
- Exercise 3. "Elevator". This exercise is suitable for women. It should be understood that the vagina is represented by a muscular tube, which begins and ends with a ring, between them there are 3 more rings. During the exercise "Lift" you need to alternately strain and contract these rings. If you do gymnastics correctly, then in the end you will be able to feel each of the rings.
- Exercise 4. Waves. The pelvic floor muscle group includes those that form an extended figure eight, consisting of three loops. The first one is located around the urethra, the second around the vagina, and the third around the anus. To perform the Waves exercise, these muscles should be alternately squeezed and relaxed.
It is best to start mastering the exercises while standing. When all of them are available for execution, you can practice them in various positions (lying, sitting, kneeling, squatting, etc.).
A set of Kegel exercises for men and women
- Exercise 1. You need to stand up, spread your legs shoulder-width apart, put your hands on the belt closer to the buttocks. The legs do not bend at the knees. You should smoothly perform circular movements with the pelvis, directing it up and inward. When performing the exercise, you need to make sure that the muscles of the pelvic floor are tense.
- Exercise 2. You need to kneel down with an emphasis on your elbows, relax your back muscles, cross your arms and lower your head on them. The movements of the pelvis should be directed inward, and at the same time, strain the muscles of the pelvic floor as much as possible, and returning to their original position - relax them.
- Exercise 3. You need to lie on your stomach, arms extended along the body. One leg is bent at the knee and the pelvic muscles are squeezed, internally contracting and pushing them out. Then the leg should be changed.
- Exercise 4. You need to lie on your back, bend your knees. Place one palm under the lower back and the other on the lower abdomen. During a deep breath, you need to draw your stomach in as much as possible and stay in this position for a few seconds. In parallel, during inhalation, the pelvic muscles contract and contract. As you exhale, the muscles relax.
- Exercise 5. It is necessary to take the "lotus position", sitting on a flat surface with crossed legs. From this position, movements are carried out with the pelvis inward and upward, in parallel straining the muscles of the pelvic floor.
- Exercise 6. It is necessary to stand on the legs bent at the knees and rest on them with your palms. From this position, the pelvis moves inward and upward, straining the pelvic muscles.
Kegel exercises for men
Author of the article: Lebedev Andrey Sergeevich | Urologist
Education: Diploma in the specialty "Andrology" received after completing residency at the Department of Endoscopic Urology of the Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education in the urological center of the Central Clinical Hospital No. 1 of JSC Russian Railways (2007). Postgraduate studies were completed here by 2010.
