Is There an Instrument to Help With Kegels?

Kegel exercises were invented by Doctor Arnold Kegel, who used them as a means of strengthening his patients' pubococcygeus (pc) muscles. Weakened pc muscles in women can lead to stress incontinence, and possibly even uterine prolapse. Doing Kegel exercises on a regular basis can help women avoid these problems, as well as reducing the chance for an episiotomy during childbirth. Vaginal weights, also known as Kegel weights, or by their various brand names, can assist a woman with doing these exercises effectively.

Definition

• Kegels are small, graduated weights shaped like barbells or cones that a woman inserts into her vagina. They are usually made of non-porus and durable material such as stainless steel, for easy cleaning. Kegel weights serve as a biofeedback device that lets a woman know she is strengthening the correct muscles and whether or not the strength of those muscles is improving.

Identification

• A woman should insert a weight, starting with the lightest, into her vagina. The goal is for her to increase the time she can hold the weight in without it slipping. This should be repeated for up to 10 repetitions, three times daily. When a woman finds it easy to hold a weight in for 10 repetitions, of 10 to 12 seconds, she should move up to the next heavier weight.

Considerations

• Using Kegel weights is more effective in improving urinary incontinence. It is comparable in efficacy to pc muscle training without weights. In many women, however, training without weights is only effective if they are partnered with a therapist and monitored with a different sort of biofeedback device. Kegel weights allow a women to do Kegel exercises at home, thus saving time and money.