The top 5 best kegel exercise tips
- Do the kegel exercises in varying positions such as lying on your back, lying on your side or sitting.
- Start pelvic floor exercises as soon as possible after you have had your baby (unless urinary catheter is in place – if so wait until it is removed and until you are passing urine normally). Pelvic floor exercises should remain a key part daily life forever.
- Pelvic floor and kegel exercises are essential, whether you have had a vaginal delivery, C section, post baby and beyond.
- Start with a gentle tightening and relaxing of the pelvic floor muscles to help ease discomfort, pain, swelling and to aid healing. Try to do these exercises as often as possible until you are ready to progress to full pelvic floor exercise – see below
- Cooling the vaginal area with an ice pack may help lessen the discomfort. Always wrap the pack in a damp towel and apply for 5 minutes at a time only.
Best pelvic floor exercises
Long hold exercises
Imagine you are trying to stop yourself from passing wind – tighten the muscles of the back passage, at the same time imagine that you are trying to stop the flow of urine with a tightening of the muscles at the front passage – this action causes a ‘squeeze lift’.
Hold the squeeze for a few seconds – this may be 3-5 seconds to start with.
Then relax the muscles fully for the same number of seconds – remember to breathe – counting aloud ensures you are not holding your breath.
Repeat this exercise at least 5 times
Gradually increase the hold time and the number of repetitions until you can hold for 10 seconds and repeat up to 10 times. (You may find that the stomach muscles draw in slightly as you do this exercise).
Short Hold Exercises
Its important that the pelvic floor muscles are able to react quickly to prevent leaking when you cough, sneeze or laugh. To do this, tighten the pelvic floor muscles quickly and as firmly as you can and then relax; do this up to 10 times at each session
To be effective you need to concentrate and persevere and do your pelvic floor exercises at least 3 times daily
The Knack
This is simply tightening your pelvic floor muscles before and during any activity requiring effort, for example when you lift your baby, cough or sneeze. This helps to support the bladder and increase control at a time when your muscles are weakened
CC: Dara Dunne, women’s health physiotherapist, University Hospital Letterkenny
Follow the link to hear international pelvic health physio, Meave Whelan talk about how EVB Engineered support garments, train your core muscles.
The shorts will support your organs. They will stop you from actively over-bracing your muscles as you try to support the organs yourself or in response to your symptoms. This will in turn stop negative tension build up from the bracing. The shorts then facilitate the correct action for you as reminder for what it is that you should be doing yourself.
Maeve Whelan how EVB works
For further information about Kegel Exercises, we find this website to be a great resource http://www.pelvicfloorfirst.org.au/