Better than Kegels: 5 Exercises to Help Strengthen your Pelvic Floor
The term kegel has become a household term. Some view it as the end-all-be-all solution to your pelvic floor. You’ve probably been told to perform 50-100 kegels per day. Perform them mid-stream while peeing, perform them first thing when you wake up and before you go to bed. Well…
PSA… Kegels are NOT for everyone!
Kegels are not the only way to strengthen your pelvic floor!
Please do not be overdoing your kegels and do NOT perform them while you pee! Sometimes pelvic floor dysfunction can come from a tight pelvic floor and overdoing kegels may just make it worse. I’ve had so many clients come in and think they are performing kegels, when in fact their contraction is very weak or not there. Instead, they are sucking in their tummy and over-recruiting their glutes, abs and adductors. This is why getting an assessment from your pelvic floor physiotherapist is helpful.
Some exercises can improve the contraction of your pelvic floor that aren’t kegels alone. Performing the combination of a kegel and a particular exercise better recruits your pelvic floor than performing the kegel alone. So kegels are not the sole solution to pelvic floor dysfunction. The alternative exercises help provide a variety of functional movements and cater to individual preferences.
Here are 5 exercises that are better for your pelvic floor when performed with a kegel than a kegel alone:
Cat-cow: 41%
Bridge: 56%
Lunges: 42%
Squats: 30%
Clamshells: 30%
The percentage demonstrated how much more effective your pelvic floor contraction is when the kegel is paired with the exercise.
Make sure you are seeing your pelvic floor physiotherapist to ensure your kegels are being performed appropriately and that you have a program built especially for you.
Happy strengthening!
Leila Awada, PT
Source: Crawford B. Pelvic floor muscle motor unit recruitment: Kegels vs specialized movement. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. April 2016:S468.
Disclaimer: The following post is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for an assessment, diagnosis or treatment plan. Please see your pelvic health physiotherapist for an appropriate assessment and treatment.