Why kegels are bad

It particularly frustrates me when health professionals prescribe kegels for patients with vaginismus without a thorough assessment of the physical state of their pelvic floor. For some of these women, their pelvic floor muscle could already be in a state of heightened tension, more taut than normal with a higher muscle tone. This is why this condition of vaginismus is known as hypertonic pelvic floor muscle dysfunction.

Many women with vaginismus also have vestibulodynia, a condition where there is hypersensitivity of the vulva to even the slightest touch, particular in the area near the vaginal opening. A very common cause of vestibulodynia is tightened pelvic floor muscles. A tight muscle is not necessarily a toned muscle. A toned muscle is desirable and a good thing. When the pelvic floor muscles are tight, they harbor active trigger points, which are hot spots for bad inflammation that increase pain sensation, swelling and restrict movement in the connective tissues surrounding the muscles.

These types of tight muscle are undesirable. The repeated contraction and tightening of the pelvic floor muscles that occur during kegels will make an already tight pelvic floor worse, adding more fuel to the fire. Kegels CAN be a simple solution to a host of common problems—if you know what you are doing. Learn More. Read on and learn how to target the precise muscles you need to strengthen to make your vajayjay happy—not hurting. Kegels are well known in urological and gynecological circles.

These helpful exercises are frequently prescribed by physicians to address urinary incontinence, early-stage pelvic organ prolapse, and decreased sexual desire and lubrication. Despite all of this, and despite the best efforts of WebMD and Dr.

Google, there are still a lot of misconceptions floating about when it comes to kegel exercises:. Not true! Men have also been shown to regain control of urinary function with regular kegel exercises, and there may be some improvement in sexual function for the guys as well.

Hence, the benefits are definitely not gender-specific. While kegels are often recommended to help women regain pelvic tone after childbirth , they can help women of all ages and childbearing status improve sexual function and eliminate urinary incontinence.

Volumes have been written about the benefits of improving pelvic floor muscle tone via a regular kegel exercise routine, so this is just patently untrue. Another falsehood. One of the lesser-known benefits of pelvic floor muscle training is improved vaginal lubrication and increased strength and frequency of orgasms. Tightening up the glutes is not a Kegel! Others squeeze their legs together, contracting their thigh muscles.

Each of these issues has unique pelvic floor muscle shortcomings. Doing casual pelvic exercises does not compare to a program , which is a home-based, progressive, strength, power and endurance training regimen that is designed, tailored and customized for the specific pelvic floor problem at hand.

Only by engaging in such a program will one be enabled to master pelvic fitness and optimize pelvic support and sexual, urinary and bowel function. Transformation does not occur overnight! Sadly, most women who pursue pelvic training do not understand how to put their newfound knowledge and skills to real life use.

Bottom Line: Kegel pelvic floor muscle exercises are a vastly under-exploited and misunderstood resource, despite great potential benefits of conditioning these small muscles. In addition to improving a variety of pelvic issues urinary and bowel leakage, sexual issues, dropped bladder, etc.