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Kegel exercises are named after Dr. Arnold Kegel, the gynecologist who invented them. They are pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles that surround part of the vagina, rectum, and urethra. Pelvic floor muscles can be weakened during pregnancy and childbirth. Urinary incontinence can result from these weakened muscles. As women age, they may leak urine when they cough, laugh, or sneeze. If Kegel exercises are done correctly and regularly, research has shown that many menopausal women with mild-to-moderate urinary incontinence are able to reduce or eliminate urine loss.
How do you do the exercises?
Before doing Kegel exercises, it is important to identify the proper muscle group. Try to stop the flow of urine when you are sitting on the toilet. If you can do it, you are using the right muscles.
While doing Kegel exercises, it's important to isolate the muscle. Be sure to keep your back, abdominal, and thigh muscles relaxed so you can isolate and concentrate more energy into the pelvic-floor muscles that you are trying to strengthen.
How do you do the routine properly?
While lying or sitting with your knees together, squeeze your perineal muscle and hold the squeeze for three or four seconds. Then relax the muscle for three or four seconds. Do as many repetitions as you can, working up to five-minute sessions twice a day. Don't hold your breath while you exercise. Breathe slowly and deeply throughout each repetition.
Once the exercises become easy, you can further strengthen the muscles by squeezing for eight seconds and then relaxing for eight seconds. Do as many repetitions as you can for five minutes, twice a day. Another way to make Kegel exercises more challenging is to do them with your knees apart or while standing.
How long does it take for the exercises to work?
Results are not immediate. According to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, it takes six to 12 weeks after adopting a Kegel exercise routine for most women to notice an improvement in bladder control. Consistency is key. Some women find it useful to exercise around the same time each day, such as before getting out of bed in the morning and before going to sleep at night.
Once you have attained your goal of better bladder control, you can keep your perineal muscle toned by paring back your Kegel exercise routine to five minutes, three times a week. If urinary incontinence returns, you may need to go back to five minutes, twice a day.
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External Sources
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University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
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The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health)
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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