WHY KEGEL EXERCISES?
Kegel exercises are known to have helped many people all around the world. Both men and women have found the Kegels exercises to have strengthened their pelvic floor muscles. The exercise is easy to perform, can be performed anywhere and are free of any cost. All one needs to do is understand the dynamics of it and then they are good to go. Moreover, Kegel exercises are not limited in terms of positions. A person is able to do them while laying down, on their feet or while sitting. This gives an individual more option because for some people, finding or locating their pelvic floor muscles is easier in a certain position as compared to the other.
Urinary and fecal incontinence are a massive problem for both men and women. There are several reasons for both of these issues. It can either be because of prostate enlargement, excessive sex, anal sex, etc. While the reasons may be many, the solution is one, Kegel exercises. It can be a life saver for people that are unable to control the outflow of their urine and stool. Laughing, coughing, running, playing sports, sneezing, all these things can also cause an involuntary outflow of the urine or/and stool. Therefore, it is ever so important that these exercises are urgently started by the person to enhance their control over the urinary and stool flows. This can revitalize the everyday life of the person along with their sexual life.
HOW OFTEN TO DO KEGELS?
The first question that people are unaware of is how often should I do Kegel exercises'? This question has a very simple and straightforward answer which is, as often as you can. There is no hard and fast rule regarding Kegel exercises. Everyone is free to choose the number of times they want to do it in a day. It mainly depends on the routine and daily schedule of an individual. If someone is busy in the morning, then they can do the exercise in the afternoon and night. If someone has commitments at night, then they perform the Kegel exercises in the morning and afternoon. But, ideally, it should be done three times a day, in the morning, afternoon and at night.
It again mainly depends on the person, if they are at ease with doing it while sitting then continue performing the exercise in sitting position otherwise they can choose between laying down and standing position. It has been witnessed during Kegel exercises, for both men and women, that it can be slightly difficult for an individual to locate and contract their pelvic floor muscles in a standing position. This is very common because of where the pelvic floor muscles are actually placed. Therefore, trainers and doctors have placed no limits on the position. If a person is more comfortable at sitting or laying down position then they should carry on in that position. This way they can reap maximum benefits and the idea behind the exercise is to strengthen the muscles without worrying about the position.
TIME DURATION AND NUMBER OF TIMES
The second major question among the masses is that how many Kegels should I do per day'? There is also a lot of debate on the time limit of every routine and set. It depends on personal preference and ability. If a person is able to maintain a longer contraction and relaxation, then be it otherwise small time limit is also plausible. The general phenomenon is that a person must start by 2 to 3-second contraction and relaxation of the same number of seconds. With time when they get a grip over the exercise then they can increase the time limit. For example, a person can stretch the contraction and relaxation to 5 seconds each. This is the best way of stepping up the ladder because if a person starts with a longer time and then reduces it, he or she would start to lose benefits instead of gaining them.
The third major question among the masses is that how long does it take for Kegel exercises to work'? Ideally, it can take an individual up to 10 weeks to realize the benefits of Kegel exercises. It can be in 9 or 11 weeks depending on the commitment of the person to rectify their problem.
