Pelvic floor exercises: what are they and what are they for?
Still don't know what Kegel exercises are, or what is the same: pelvic floor exercises? Well, although they may seem silly to you, they are much more important than you can imagine (and not only for women).
When did Kegel exercises for men appear?
The doctor. Arnold Kegel was an American gynecologist who invented pelvic floor exercises for women in 1940 , although it was later discovered that they also benefited men sexually .
These pubococcygeal muscle contraction exercises serve to strengthen the muscles belonging to the pelvic floor ; that is, the muscles that surround and support the organs of the pelvis and intestine . At first, they were created so that women could avoid urinary incontinence after childbirth, but, as time went by, it was shown that they are useful for many more things, and that they are also beneficial for us!
How do I know that I need to exercise the pelvic floor?
Pelvic floor exercises not only serve to strengthen the muscles in the area when we have urinary incontinence, but there are many other problems that can cause us to weaken the pelvic floor . Among the most common are an overactive bladder , diabetes , removal of the prostate by surgery, being overweight , or urinary incontinence . In addition, the lack of exercise can also cause the muscles in the area to suffer a certain progressive weakening (or even dysfunction ). Therefore, we will have to move! Don't you think?
However, it is important that first of all we know how to detect the symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction in ourselves. When we have the muscles of this weak area , it is normal for us to feel pain in the pelvis , incontinence (both urinary and fecal ), constipation and a certain change in our usual sexual function .
Although in principle these symptoms are not too serious , it is essential that you go to your trusted doctor as soon as possible, to solve the problem immediately through pelvic floor exercises.
What are Kegel exercises?
These types of exercises are usually very easy and relaxing , so you don't have to worry ( they don't hurt ).
It is important that you first find the right muscles . To do this, a simple way to achieve this is by stopping urination halfway or by contracting the muscles that prevent the passage of gases . In this way, the muscles that contract in both cases will be the muscles belonging to the pelvic floor .
To continue, it is essential that you perfect the technique . How? Get in a horizontal position , contract your pelvic floor muscles for 3 seconds and relax them for another 3 seconds . Easy, right? So, do 10 repetitions of 3 series a day.
(I'll tell you a trick! Once you have strengthened your pelvic floor, you can do it in any position: standing, lying down, sitting, or even walking!)
Lastly, you must stay focused . That is, do not hold your breath or contract any other muscles that are outside of the pelvic floor. Remember that these exercises are to strengthen this specific area...
And no, it's not worth doing these exercises for a week. Everything in life needs a certain degree of sacrifice, so to achieve your goal, you need a lot of perseverance and a very marked routine . (You have already seen that this type of exercise will not take you more than 10 minutes... And that you can do it even lying down!)
What benefits will pelvic floor exercises bring me?
Kegel exercises can not only help you with the aforementioned problems , but you can also improve your erections , have greater ejaculatory and bladder control (resolving problems such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation ), control flatulence and prevent incontinence , among many other things.
Until now you did not know the pelvic floor exercises ? Well, we should not only thank Arnold Kegel, but we should also put them into practice every day!
