|  | Conditions Treatments | Medical Conditions

What to Expect With Pelvic Floor Exercises

Pelvic floor training has become an increasingly popular way to treat a variety of medical conditions or just spice up your sex life. Whether your doctor prescribed a regime of pelvic floor exercises to treat a specific condition or you simply read an intriguing article online or in a magazine, you will naturally want to know what to expect from your time invested in strengthening the pelvic floor. What follows are some of the common experiences had by individuals performing pelvic floor exercises.

  1. About Kegels

    • Kegel exercises are the most common type of pelvic floor exercise. To prepare yourself to perform a Kegel, lie down or sit on the edge of a chair. As you exhale, clench your pelvic floor muscles (the muscles you would use to stop the flow of urine midstream) and hold for the duration of your exhalation. Relax as you inhale and repeat for 10 or more reps. Kegels are normally practiced every day.

    Slight Soreness

    • The pelvic floor muscles are, first and foremost, muscles. This means that when exercising them, you can initially expect the same type of reaction that you would experience upon performing situps or jogging for the first time--slight soreness. Do not be alarmed and treat it as you would with any other muscle group--with rest.

    Difficulty Locating the Muscles

    • Another beginner's hurdle comes in actually locating the appropriate muscles. If you do not have a doctor's guidance, you could easily make the mistake of contracting your abdominals or your glutes, mistaking these muscle groups for your pelvic floor. To find your actual pelvic floor muscles, stop your flow of urine midstream the next time you are using the restroom. Do this several times--the muscles you just contracted are the same ones you will use during your practice of pelvic floor exercises.

    Reduction in Incontinence

    • Pelvic floor exercises are often prescribed to treat both stress and urge incontinence in both sexes. Thus, after practicing your pelvic floor exercise for a few weeks (or a few months), you should notice increased bladder control and a reduction in spotting incidents. These benefits will continue to accrue the longer you practice, culminating in the elimination of your incontinence issues.

    Improved Sex Life for Men

    • Men practicing pelvic floor exercises should also expect sexual benefits. As contraction of the pelvic floor muscles also works the prostate and increases bloodflow to the penis, you will see a reduction in incidents of impotence, an increased level of ejaculatory control, and increased orgasmic intensity. These benefits will also accrue over time, so continue training your pelvic floor muscles with diligence to continue improving your sex life.

    Improved Sex Life for Women

    • Women will also experience sexual benefits from performing pelvic floor exercises. You'll benefit from an increased sex drive, increased ability to orgasm during intercourse, and an overall improvement in feelings of sexual satisfaction. When comparing the possible benefits against the minimal amount of time necessary to train the pelvic floor, these exercises are something that should make their way into everyone's daily routine.

Medical Conditions - Related Articles