Kegel Exercise Instructions

According to the Poise website, one in three women experiences involuntary urine leakage, also known as urinary incontinence. Women, including those who just gave birth, are often told that Kegel exercises can prevent light bladder leakage. Kegels are pelvic muscle exercises that retain and strengthen the nerves of the pelvic floor muscles. By doing these exercises on a regular basis, urinary incontinence can be prevented.

Instructions

• 1

  Locate your pelvic muscle. The hardest thing about doing Kegel exercises is training the correct muscle. To find the pelvic muscle, stop your stream the next time you urinate. The muscle you use to stop the flow is the pubococcygeus muscle, better known as the PC muscle or pelvic muscle. It is the same muscle you use when you try to prevent passing gas.

• 2

  Empty your bladder before lying down on your back. To prevent bladder problems, you don't want to do Kegels while actually urinating. If you are new to the exercise, start by lying on the floor. As you build up strength, you can do the exercise while sitting or standing.

• 3

  Squeeze your pelvic muscles, and hold the contraction for three seconds before releasing it for three second. Keep breathing normally while visualizing the muscle working. If you hold a mirror in front of the vaginal opening, you should see the perineum lift as you squeeze your pelvic muscles. You can place a finger in the vagina to see if you are exercising correctly. Your finger should get squeezed and somewhat lifted upon the contraction.

• 4

  Place your hand on your abdomen to make sure you are not using your stomach muscles. The only muscles being squeezed should be the pelvic muscles. Legs, stomach and buttocks muscles should all be relaxed.

• 5

  Complete 10 repetitions three times per day. You can do 10 repetitions in the morning, 10 in the afternoon and 10 in the evening.

• 6

  Build up the contraction period by adding one second each week, up to a total of 10 seconds per squeeze. After four to six weeks of doing consistent Kegel exercises, you will notice the pelvic muscles getting stronger by the reduction of urinary accidents.