De Kegel

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Kegelsare simple exercises that involve tightening the muscles of your pelvic floor. Doing Kegels regularly can help prevent incontinence, improve circulation to your pelvic area, and strengthen the muscle tone of your pelvic floor.

For the exercises in this article, BabyCenter partnered with Every MotherOpens a new window, a provider of exercise programs for expecting mothers, new moms, moms with diastasis recti, and more. We may earn a commission if you click on one of the links to their site.

The exercises are named after Arnold Kegel, the gynecologist who first recommended them in the 1940s to help women with urinary incontinence, or diminished bladder control, a problem that affects up to two-thirds of women during pregnancy or after. (Kegel exercises may even reduce the risk of postpartum bowel incontinence, too.)

If you're not sure you've got it, you can check by inserting a clean finger into your vagina and then doing a Kegel. If you feel pressure around your finger, you're on the right track. Or try a Kegel while you're having sex or enjoying pleasure. Ask your partner if they can feel the contraction with their finger or penis. If you're doing it correctly, your partner will notice.

Let your provider know if you feel like you're experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction stemming from pregnancy or childbirth. They can refer you to a pelvic floor therapist or a physical therapist who specializes in women's health, who can asses what's going on and recommend the right course of exercises and treatments for your body. Some providers and therapists have treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction that can effectively help with pelvic floor weakness.

Many people forget that the pelvic floor needs to contract and relax. Practicing full pelvic floor muscle relaxation, or a reverse Kegel, may be even more important than strengthening exercises for some people.

The best way to learn pelvic floor relaxation is through diaphragmatic breathing, or deep belly breathing. When you perform a deep inhale and allow your diaphragm to descend and your abdomen expand, you should also feel a lengthening or expansion in your pelvic floor.

Make Kegels part of your daily routine. Once you've got the hang of it, it's easy to incorporate Kegels without having to lie down. For example, you could do a few when you wake up in the morning, more while you're watching TV, and then one last round before you go to bed. But as long as you do them regularly, it really doesn't matter when or where you do them.

Working to keep your pelvic floor muscles strong may also guard against pelvic organ prolapse, a common condition among older and some postpartum women. In pelvic organ prolapse, weakening pelvic muscles and ligaments can make the uterus, bladder, and rectal tissue sag and protrude into the vagina. This may cause incontinence as well as a sense of pelvic heaviness, lower back pain, and discomfort during sex.

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American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2015. Practice bulletin 155: Urinary incontinence in women. -guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2015/11/urinary-incontinence-in-womenOpens a new window [Accessed March 2022]

Boyle R et al. 2012. Pelvic floor muscle training for prevention and treatment of urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. Cochrane Library. a new window [Accessed March 2022]

Godfrey JR et al. 2009. Toward optimal health: Approaching the issue of incontinence with patients and actively managing the condition. Journal of Women's Health 18(8): 1109- 1113. a new window [Accessed March 2022]

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. 2014. Kegel exercise tips. -information/urologic-diseases/bladder-control-problems-Opens a new window women/kegel-exercises [Accessed March 2022]

Yvelette Stines is a writer who specializes in health and wellness content. Stines is passionate about creating content that encourages people to live a calm and healthy life. She enjoys reading, writing, travel, yoga, and the outdoors.

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