Kegel exercises for women: how to perform, effectiveness, and whether the partner will feel the changes

Kegel gymnastics is very popular among modern girls who want to strengthen the vaginal muscles to give new sensations during sexual intercourse. Despite the fact that many are skeptical of this technique, the number of its adherents is constantly growing.

The essence of the methodology

Initially, the Kegel set of exercises was developed for women suffering from involuntary urination after childbirth. The scientist found that the muscles of the pelvic floor in this case practically do not perform their functions, although it is they who are responsible for containing urine during a sharp stress, for example, when sneezing, coughing or laughing. After childbirth, the genitals of a woman undergo significant changes:

• the elasticity of the walls of the vagina is lost;
• its walls fall;
• decreased tone of the muscles of the pelvic floor;
• there is a divergence of muscles (diastasis).

The essence of the Kegel complex is to train the vaginal and pubic-coccygeal muscles entering the pelvic floor of a woman. Performing gymnastics also enhances blood flow to the organs of the reproductive system, improves blood circulation and helps to saturate the blood with oxygen.

It is recommended to start classes using this methodology even at the stage of pregnancy planning in order to fully prepare for the upcoming birth. Pelvic muscles play a significant role in delivery, therefore, modern medicine has developed training for expectant mothers, based on the principles of Kegel.

Indications

Kegel gymnastics is widely used in medical practice in various fields, it is prescribed by gynecologists, andrologists, urologists. Indications are the following conditions.

• Pathological course of pregnancy and childbirth in the anamnesis. For example, weakness of labor, painful childbirth, stretching and drooping of the walls of the vagina.
• Risk of voluntary urination syndrome or fecal incontinence. This is typical for women after the onset. menopause and for young girls after surgery on the genitourinary organs.
• Suspicion of prolapse and prolapse of the uterus, vagina. Most often caused by weakness and decreased elasticity of the muscles of the perineum.
• Sexual problems. Lack of sexual satisfaction, inability to achieve orgasm with sexual intercourse.

Contraindications

Despite the apparent simplicity of exercises, a positive effect cannot be achieved without the ability to concentrate on the desired muscle group and proper breathing.If these skills are not mastered, training can even be harmful. Contraindications to gymnastics are as follows.

• Genital prolapse 3-4 degrees. In case of diagnosed uterine prolapse, an increased load on the muscles of the abdominal press and buttocks can aggravate the pathological process, since intraperitoneal pressure rises significantly during such exercises. Therefore, experts often prohibit engaging in any physical exercises in advanced cases of prolapse and beyond the genital fissure (prolapse) of the walls of the vagina or organs of the female pelvis (bladder, uterus and neck, less commonly the intestine).
• Active inflammation in the genitourinary system. Training is strictly contraindicated in cases where a woman, in addition to problems with muscles, has revealed infectious or inflammatory diseases of the genital organs.
• Somatic diseases. Classes are not recommended for existing pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, hypertension, identified oncology or benign formations.
• Early postoperative and postpartum periods. You should not start training after undergoing surgical operations on the organs of the genitourinary system or immediately after treating injuries in the perineum, after giving birth with injuries and tears, as well as during exacerbation of hemorrhoids.

Caution should be exercised during menstruation, with severe endometriosis. If classes are accompanied by pain, it is better to delay them. The time for a possible start of classes can only be determined by a doctor after a comprehensive examination.

5 basic exercises

The method developed by Kegel underwent changes over time, a special complex for men appeared, but the basic principles and approaches remained unchanged. There are five basic exercises.

1. Stop. This is a basic exercise that needs to be done while urinating. Its essence is to control the stream of urine, when it is necessary to stop and start it several times during the process, straining and relaxing the muscles of the perineum. In this case, you do not need to use the muscles of the hips and lower abdomen.
2. Abbreviation. Alternating tension and relaxation of the pelvic muscles. This exercise should be started in a cycle of ten repetitions several times a day, gradually increasing the load.
3. Elevator. Exercise takes into account the anatomical features of the structure of the vagina. It is a cylinder with a series of “rings” (muscle bundles). A woman must learn to feel these “rings” and strain them one after another at short intervals.
4. The waves. In order for the “waves” to have an effect, you need to know that there are special muscles called the “expanded eight” around the vagina, anus and urethra. They should be tensed and relaxed in a certain order.
5. Positioning. The bottom line is to perform all the exercises in different positions: not only standing, but also lying, squatting or sitting.

There are general basic principles for performing exercises:

• maintain a single accelerated pace;
• muscle tension for more than 30 seconds;
• gradually increase the load;
• between strong contractions take a short pause.

At the discretion of the doctor, the complex of exercises can be expanded or truncated.

Execution Features

There are some features of the exercise, depending on the goals pursued.

During pregnancy

The main rule is not to try to complete the entire complex. Before starting a workout, you need to empty your bladder.During this, you can try to hold back the stream of urine, compressing and relaxing the muscles of the perineum and sphincter. For the first time, 15 repetitions will be enough. At the next stage, you can simulate attempts similar to actions during bowel movements (strain the muscles of the perineum, leaving the muscles of the abdominal muscles relaxed).

It is forbidden to engage in such gymnastics in the following cases:

• threat - a woman is in the hospital with a diagnosis of threatened abortion;
• discomfort - the exercise causes discomfort, pain or increased muscle tone of the uterus;
• injuries - Before pregnancy, there were spinal injuries or osteochondrosis of the lumbar region;
• risk - a woman is at risk for preterm birth.

After childbirth

There are generally accepted guidelines for allowing training to begin.

• On the second or third day. So you can start training early if the birth was successful, the woman gave birth on her own, there were no injuries and tears in the perineum and vagina, and no sutures were applied. A prerequisite is a good general condition of the woman in labor and the absence of unpleasant sensations in the process of gymnastics.
• In two to three months. With complicated births associated with perineal ruptures and other injuries, training can only be done after the perineum and vagina are completely healed and after a comprehensive examination by a gynecologist. The same applies to the condition after performing a cesarean section.

To determine what specific exercises are necessary in the postpartum period, the attending physician will help.

Prolapse

When the uterus is omitted, care should be taken with caution and only on the recommendation of a doctor. Gymnastics in this case is supplemented by other exercises. For example, “Bicycle” or swinging legs while lying or standing.

Increase the load gradually. You can start with two to three times a week, then moving on to daily workouts. Be sure to consider the degree of omission.

Effect

Do not expect a miracle from gymnastics. In the presence of serious pathologies, they can be eliminated with the help of complex therapy, and sometimes only with surgical intervention. But the Kegel complex has good therapeutic and preventive effects:

• helps to tone up - increases the degree of elasticity of the muscles of the pelvis and perineum, is useful for increasing vaginal tone;
• warns - reduces the likelihood of omission of the female genital organs;
• treats - to a certain extent, solves the problem of stress urinary incontinence and feces;
• enhances sensations during sex - helps a woman get an orgasm;
• rejuvenates - slows down the aging process in the body;
• reduces the risk of inflammation - such as cystitis, colpitis, adnexitis.

Alternative

Kegel gymnastics is a unique technique that has no alternative in modern physiotherapy. One of the interpretations of the technique is the use of special vaginal weighting agents - balls. Such classes are called wumbilding.

But this does not mean that there are no other methods for treating pelvic prolapse or postpartum abnormalities of the vagina and uterus. An alternative is medication, and in especially complex cases, surgery.

Reviews

At one time I performed the exercise regularly, to be honest, I didn’t notice anything special, just at work, so I wouldn’t get bored, I would sit and do it, “I would kill time”, each time I thought that people would know what I do in the workplace . By the way, yes, I would also be glad if vaginal balls were found under the Christmas tree. I’ll probably write a letter to Santa Claus.

Marussi, http://forum.jenforum.ru/viewtopic.php?t=2597

After giving birth, I thought that everything, the end, was to wear pads for those with urinary incontinence until the end of days ... I went to the toilet like a geisha, because if you step a little wider you will not shame. Then she read about Kegel’s exercise and a month later forgot about her postpartum problem. It helps! Do it for sure!

And she was afraid to sneeze and cough. These exercises really help. You do not get hung up on the term. Two weeks is not enough. But you also can’t see the result in fitness in two weeks. Here, too, the muscles and even got them in full. Do the exercise and over time (not so big) everything will return to normal.

Stuart38, http://2009-2012.littleone.ru/archive/index.php/t-4326358.html