by 
The Curious Bag
-
A kegel is a type of exercise that is usually done by women, but it can also help men. The exercises are designed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles in both men and women.
Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor muscles are also known as pubococcygeus muscles. These are the muscles you use when you stop the flow of urine.
Position
Kegels should be done when the bladder is empty. You can do them while sitting or standing. However, if the muscles are weak, you should do them while reclining or lying down to reduce the effects of gravity on the muscles.
Technique
Doing a kegel is just tightening the pelvic floor muscles and then relaxing them. Avoid tightening other muscles; make sure you continue to breathe regularly while doing the exercises.
Duration
The contractions can be less then a second or up to 10 seconds. As you build up the muscle strength, you should be able to do several sets of 10 repetitions of kegel exercises.
Benefits
Kegels are done to help women recovering from birth. They're also performed to help with incontinence. They help men recover from prostate surgery, and they're done to help improve the sexual performance and stamina in men and women.
Source:
Mayo Clinic: How to strengthen pelvic floor muscles
National Association for Continence: Kegels De-Mystified for Women
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC