Kegel exercises, also known as pelvic floor squeezes, are one of the most common and effective ways to build strength and control in your pelvic floor muscles.
The exercises can help you work towards preventing or reducing the severity of pelvic floor issues such as incontinence.
However, according to Leanne O’Brien, pelvic floor physical therapist at Ten Health, there’s a chance you’re not doing them properly.
“Around 70% of people aren’t doing pelvic floor exercises correctly and I can vouch for that clinically,” O’Brien tells Fit&Well. “If the technique isn’t good, you won’t be getting the maximum benefit of the exercises.”
How not to do pelvic floor squeezes
One of the common mistakes happens because people struggle with which body part they should be squeezing. “They’ll start squeezing their bum cheeks together, or they’ll squeeze their inner thighs together, or they’ll grip their abdominal muscles,” says O’Brien.
“If you do this, it will start to press the pelvic floor down again,” which is the opposite of what you want to do.
How to do pelvic floor squeezes
When you’re doing pelvic floor squeezes properly, “no-one would be able to tell that you’re doing them”, says O’Brien, because none of your body parts should move. Instead, you’re squeezing the rectum, which is located between your colon and anus.
“Imagine that you’re stopping yourself from emptying your bowel or stopping yourself from farting,” says O’Brien. “We’re squeezing the bum hole, to be graphic.”
You can also think of squeezing the vaginal muscles at the same time. “Try to imagine that you have a blueberry just at the vaginal entrance, and you’re trying to draw that up and in towards the body,” O’Brien suggests before giving her full description.
“You’re essentially starting from the back—squeezing the rectum, squeezing the vagina muscles, then imagining your stopping a flow of urine.”
How long should you hold pelvic floor squeezes?
Everyone’s pelvic floor strength is different, which means pelvic floor squeezes will be more challenging for some people than others.
“Three seconds will be effective for some people, but if you are particularly strong and active, you might need to look at a longer duration, such as 10 to 15 seconds,” says O’Brien.
“As a general rule, you should be able to hold your pelvic floor for 10 seconds with a five second rest, and you should be able to do that 10 times.
“It should never be uncomfortable. If it is, it’s possible that you’re holding your breath, or you’re bracing your abdominal muscles.”
O’Brien recommends an app called Squeezy that will walk you through exactly how to do the exercise and provide you with a timer.
O’Brien recommends an app called Squeezy that will walk you through exactly how to do the exercise and provide you with a timer.
(Image credit: Squeezy)
How often should you do pelvic floor squeezes?
“If you don’t have any pelvic floor symptoms, I would say do squeezes between two and three times a week,” says O’Brien.
But, if you do have symptoms, consult a medical professional first. “It could be a tight pelvic floor,” says O’Brien, explaining that in this case, you won’t benefit from squeezes.
But if you know you have a weak pelvic floor, aim to do squeezes daily.
What position should you do pelvic floor squeezes in?
Pelvic floor squeezes are discrete, which is great because it means you can do them at anywhere—on the train, at your desk or while waiting for a friend to arrive.
But if you are finding them uncomfortable or want better results, O’Brien suggests doing them lying down. “Lie down with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, or flat on a bed, because that’s a relaxed position for the pelvic floor,” she says.
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