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Kegel Exercises
If your symptoms of urine leakage usually happen after coughing, sneezing, laughing, or lifting heavy objects, your physician may ask you to perform Kegel exercises.
Kegel exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles located around the bladder opening. By exercising these muscles, you may improve your symptoms. In order to realize the maximum benefit from these exercises, it is very important that you perform them correctly.
You can identify the muscles located around the bladder opening by starting and stopping your urine stream. These are the same muscles used for Kegel exercises. Stopping your urine stream is only a way to identify the muscles used for this exercise. It is not advisable to perform Kegel exercises while urinating.
Another way to identify the muscles used for Kegel exercises is to tighten the rectal muscles (as when holding back gas or completing a bowel movement). Because they are part of the same muscle group, the rectal muscles always work with the muscles located around the bladder opening.
It may take several tries to locate these muscles. Try not to use your stomach, buttock, or leg muscles. See your health care provider if you have difficulty identifying these muscles.
Once you have identified these muscles, there are different types of Kegel exercises: the quick Kegel and the slow Kegel. In performing the quick Kegel, these muscles are rapidly tightened and relaxed. During the slow Kegel, the muscles are tightened for 5 to 10 seconds and then relaxed.
Most people start by completing a set of ten Kegels four times a day. Each week, the number of contractions and relaxations, and the length of time the contractions are held, are gradually increased. Kegel exercises may be done with other activities, such as watching television, ironing, or relaxing. Because it may take several weeks to notice an improvement, it is important that you continue doing these exercises. Regular periodic follow-ups with your physician will assess the benefits of these exercises as well as provide the opportunity to review your Kegel exercise technique.
If your symptoms do not improve, ask your physician, nurse, or therapist to help you. Many individuals need a health care provider's help to identify the correct muscles to use.
Permission is granted to copy this page for patient education.
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