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KEGEL
EXERCISES / PELVIC TILTS
- What Are Kegel
Exercises?
Kegel, or pelvic floor muscle exercises are done to strengthen the
muscles which support the urethra, bladder, uterus and rectum.
- Why Do Kegel
Exercises?
Often the pelvic floor muscles are weak which contributes to problems
with losing urine. Doing the exercises correctly and regularly can
strengthen the muscles. Stronger muscles lead to little or no urine
loss for many women. It is also risk-free, low cost and painless!
- How Do I Do Them?
Over one-third of women start out squeezing the wrong muscles. Therefore,
it is helpful to work with a doctor or nurse who can teach you the
correct technique. You can also check yourself by placing a finger
in your vagina and squeezing around it. When you feel pressure around
your finger, you are using the correct muscle. Try to keep everything
relaxed except the muscles right around the vagina. At the same time,
do not bear down or squeeze your thigh, back or abdominal muscles.
Breathe slowly and deeply. At first you can do the exercises with
your knees together (lying or sitting).
- How Often Should
I Do The Exercises?
Be sure you are doing them correctly before you start. We recommend
doing the exercises for five minutes twice a day. You should squeeze
the muscle for a count of four and relax for a count of four. At first,
you may not be able to do the exercises for a whole five minutes or
hold the squeeze for a count of four. With practice it will become
easier as the muscles get stronger.
- When Should I
Expect Improvement In My Symptoms?
It takes from six to twelve weeks for most women to notice a change
in urine loss. Remember, if you do the exercises regularly you could
cure yourself and avoid surgery!
- How Should I
Do The Exercises?
If you read that these exercises can be done anywhere, anytime - that
is not necessarily true. We have studied different ways of doing the
exercises to see what works best to decrease urine loss. What we found
worked best was five minute sessions done twice a day. Many women
report that five minutes before they get up in the morning and five
minutes before they sleep is a helpful routine.
- Is There Anything
I Should Change Once The Exercises Become Easy?
Once the exercises become easy, you can further strengthen the muscles
by squeezing to a count of eight and relaxing to a count of eight.
Repeat this for five minutes two times a day. It will also work the
muscle more to do the exercises with your knees apart.
- How Long Do I
Have To Do The Exercises?
Once you have attained your goal, you can do the exercises for five
minutes three times a week. If you start having problems again with
urine loss, you may need to go back to five minutes two times a day.
- Helpful Hints
Listen to music when you do the exercises - this can make it more
fun! Keep a log and give yourself a check mark or star each time you
do the exercises. This will help you keep track of when you started
and keep you motivated. If you stop doing the exercises, start again!
Just remember it takes regular practice to see results.
____________________________________
FDA-
Cleared
 BIOFEEDBACK:
PMTx:
Pelvic Muscle Therapy Program
Identifies,
isolates
and trains the
Pubococcygeal
muscles correctly.
The
PMTx program
also includes a step
by step training video,
and an instructional manual
that is designed to increase your
knowledge about your body, motivate you
towards a lifestyle change, and help keep weekly progress reports.
Click
here
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