| Kegel exercise | |
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| Pronunciation | Kegel:/ˈkeɪɡəl,kiː-/ |
| Other names | pelvic muscles exercise |
Kegel exercise, also known aspelvic floor exercise, involves repeatedly contracting and relaxing themuscles that form part of thepelvic floor, now sometimes colloquially referred to as the "Kegel muscles". The exercise can be performed many times a day, for several minutes at a time but takes one to three months to begin to have an effect.[1]
Kegel exercises aim to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.[2] These muscles have many functions within the human body. In women, they are responsible for holding up thebladder, preventingurinary stress incontinence (especially after childbirth), vaginal and uterine prolapse.[3][4] In men, these muscles are responsible for urinary continence, fecal continence, andejaculation.[5][4] Several tools exist to help with these exercises, although various studies debate the relative effectiveness of different tools versus traditional exercises.[6]
The American gynecologistArnold Kegel first published a description of such exercises in 1948.[7]
Kegel exercises aim to improvemuscle tone by strengthening thepubococcygeus muscles of thepelvic floor. Kegel is a popular[quantify] prescribed exercise for pregnant women to prepare thepelvic floor for physiological stresses of the later stages ofpregnancy andchildbirth. Various advisors recommend Kegel exercises for treatingvaginal prolapse[8] and preventinguterine prolapse[9] in women and for treatingprostate pain[citation needed] and swelling resulting frombenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) andprostatitis in men. Kegel exercises may have benefits in treatingurinary incontinence in both men and women.[10] Kegel exercises may also increase sexual gratification, allowing women to completepompoir and aiding men in reducingpremature ejaculation.[5] The many actions performed by Kegel muscles include holding in urine and avoiding defecation. Reproducing this type of muscle action can strengthen the Kegel muscles. The action of slowing or stopping the flow of urine may be used as a test of the correct pelvic-floor exercise technique.[11][12]
The components oflevator ani (the pelvic diaphragm), namely pubococcygeus,puborectalis andiliococcygeus, contract and relax as one muscle.[13] Hence pelvic-floor exercises involve the entire levator ani rather than pubococcygeus alone. Pelvic floor exercises may help in cases offecal incontinence and in pelvic organ prolapse conditions e.g.rectal prolapse.[14]
Factors such aspregnancy,childbirth, aging, and beingoverweight often weaken the pelvic muscles.[15] This can be assessed by either digital examination of vaginal pressure or using a Kegelperineometer. Kegel exercises are useful in regaining pelvic floor muscle strength in such cases.[16]
The symptoms ofprolapse and its severity can be decreased with pelvic floor exercises.[17][12] Effectiveness can be improved with feedback on how to do the exercises.[18]
Kegel exercises can train the perineal muscles by increasing the oxygen supply and the strength of those muscles.[19] The names of the perineal muscles are:ischiocavernosus (erection),bulbocavernosus (ejaculation), external sphincter of the anus, striatedurethral sphincter,transverse perineal, levator of the prostate, and puborectalis.[20]
Premature ejaculation is defined as when male ejaculation occurs after less than one minute of penetration.[21] The perineal muscles are involved in ejaculation when they are involuntarily contracted.[19] The ischiocavernosus muscle is responsible for male erection, and the bulbocavernosus muscle is responsible for ejaculation. By actively contracting the perineal muscles with Kegel exercises regularly, strength and control of these muscles increase, possibly aiding in the avoidance of premature ejaculation.[19][22]
Pelvic floor exercises (muscle training) can be included in conservative treatment approaches for women withurinary incontinence.[23] There is tentative evidence thatbiofeedback may give added benefit when used with pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT).[24] There is no clear evidence that teaching pelvic floor exercises alters the risk ofstress urinary incontinence in men that develop this condition postprostatectomy.[25]
In pregnant women, antenatal PFMT probably helps prevent urinary continence during pregnancy and up to six months after giving birth but for pregnant women who already have incontinence, it is not clear if antenatal PFMT helps to reduce symptoms.[20]
In pregnancy, it is not yet clear if antenatal PFMT helps to prevent or treatfecal incontinence.[20]
Some devices, marketed to women, are for exercising the pelvic floor muscles and to improve the muscle tone of thepubococcygeal or vaginal muscle.
As of 2013, there was no evidence that doing pelvic floor exercise with weights worked better than doing Kegel exercises without weights; there is greater risk with weights, because a foreign object is introduced into the vagina.[26][6]
During the latter part of the 20th century, a number of medical and pseudo-medical devices were marketed to consumers as improving sexual performance ororgasms, increasing "energy", "balancing hormones", and as having other health or lifestyle benefits. There is no evidence for any of these claims, and many of them arepseudoscience.[27][28]
Pelvic floor muscle training exercises are a series of exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
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