Thursday, June 5

Who should / can do KEGELS? Kegel exercises are recommended for?

Kegel exercises are recommended for: 
• Women with urinary stress incontinence

• Some men who have urinary incontinence after prostate surgery

• People who have fecal incontinence

Kegel exercises can help strengthen the muscles under the uterus,
bladder, and bowel (large intestine). They can help both men and
women who have problems with urine leakage or bowel control.

A Kegel exercise is like pretending that you have to urinate, and
then holding it. You relax and tighten the muscles that control urine
flow

Kegel exercises are often recommended to tighten the vagina. You
start by identifying the muscles you want to tighten. . It's important
to find the right muscles to tighten. Sit on the toilet bowel and begin
to urinate, and then stop the urinary stream before you are finished.
The muscles you used to stop urinating are the ones you need to
work on. Work the muscles by repeatedly contracting and relaxing
them.


If you are unsure whether you are doing the Kegel correctly, you
can use biofeedback and electrical stimulation to help find the
correct muscle group to work. If you still have problems identifying
the correct muscles, contact a physical therapist. Your doctor can
direct you to a physical therapy department that is equipped with a
biofeedback machine.



• Biofeedback is a method of positive reinforcement. Electrodes are placed
on the abdomen and along the anal area. Some therapists place a sensor in the
vagina in women or anus in men to monitor the contraction of pelvic floor
muscles.

• A monitor will display a graph showing which muscles are contracting and
which are at rest. The therapist can help find the right muscles for performing
Kegel exercises.
                                    -- The machines help identify the
appropriate muscles and train you how to do Kegel exercises
more effectively.


nEXT: PERFORMING PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES: WHO CAN DO PERFORMING PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES?, HOW TO DO PERFORMING PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES.