Kegel exercises help to strengthen the muscles in your pelvic floor. The pelvic floor muscles are the group of muscles that you use to stop the flow of urine. Strengthening these muscles helps you avoid leaking pee or passing gas or poop. It is beneficial to both men and women.
Your pelvic floor muscles support pelvic organs such as your bladder, bowel, and vagina. Your pelvic floor muscles stabilize your organs while also assisting with bodily functions such as peeing, pooping, and sex. Kegels are exercises that involve tightening and then releasing the muscles in your pelvic floor in order to strengthen them.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see the results you want immediately. According to the Mayo Clinic, kegel exercises may take as long as a few months to have an effect on urinary incontinence.
They also work differently for each person. Some people show great improvement in muscle control and urinary continence. However, Kegels may prevent your condition from getting worse.
According to Healthline, here are some great benefits of doing kegel exercise:
Benefits
1. Greater sex for you and your partner
When it comes to sex, Kegel exercises tighten the vagina and may help increase the intensity of the orgasm. When it comes to orgasm, the pelvic floor muscles are crucial.
They are in charge of the pleasurable contractions felt in the genitals during an orgasm. Orgasms are more intense and last longer when the pelvic floor muscles are healthy. Women who have trouble achieving orgasm may have weak pelvic floor muscles.
2. Help overall fitness
Long periods of sitting, repetitive movements, injury, and pregnancy can all have a negative impact on your body. Prolonged sitting can decondition both your aerobic fitness and your strength.
During pregnancy, stretching your abdominal muscles can weaken your core. The weight of a pregnant belly can shift your center of gravity forward, causing low back pain. Furthermore, pregnancy hormones cause ligaments to loosen, increasing the likelihood of clumsiness and injury.
3. Can help recovery from child birth
Pregnancy can cause the pelvic floor muscles to weaken, whether you delivered your baby vaginally or by cesarean. This weakness can be exacerbated by vaginal delivery, which can cause muscle tearing and possibly episiotomy.
The good news is that these muscles will heal just like any other muscle and will respond to Kegel exercises with increased strength just like any other muscle.
You can start strengthening your pelvic floor before getting pregnant and continue strengthening it during pregnancy by doing Kegel exercises as long as you don’t have uterine contractions while doing them.
Also see: Best exercises to do during your period
