Bladder muscle training in women. How to strengthen your bladder with exercise

The common pathology is not life-threatening, but the discomfort associated with urinary incontinence is enormous. Along with solving a physiological problem, women have to cope with psychological stress. To cope with the disease, you can consult a doctor or help yourself by strengthening your pelvic muscles with special exercises.

Kegel exercises for urinary incontinence

In a suspended state, the bladder is held in place by the pelvic muscles, like a belt. Weakening for various reasons, they contribute to the incorrect anatomical location of organs. To cope with this unpleasant phenomenon, it is not necessary to resort to drug treatment; there is another way - gymnastics for urinary incontinence in women. Regular Kegel exercises (squeezing, holding, contracting) help strengthen muscles, and a set of tasks is used in medicine as a recognized method of treatment for organ prolapse or after childbirth.

How to properly perform exercises for urinary incontinence in women

There are no restrictions regarding the place or position of the body for performing therapeutic exercises. Recommendations regarding Kegel exercises for women with urinary incontinence are a small list of points:

before you start doing gymnastics, you should go to the toilet to empty your bladder;
gradual increase in complexity, i.e. the transition from simple to complex should occur gradually;
take a position (standing, sitting, lying) to make it as comfortable as possible;
success is achieved through regular implementation of the complex, so you need to do it every day;
You should start with 10 contractions, and after a week of regular training, add 5 more, then increase until the number of contractions reaches 30.

Unnoticed by others, training can be done anywhere: at home in front of the TV, while cleaning or reading a book, walking around the city, driving a car. The timing of the exercise also does not play a significant role, but the strengthening effect is possible only if daily Kegel training is followed and the correct technique is followed. The mistake is to engage the abdominal or thigh muscles by delaying the tension. In this case, there is no need to wait for a positive result, so the woman will continue to face the problem of urinary incontinence.

Basic Kegel exercises for urinary incontinence

Presented as a set of workouts of different types of complexity, all tasks for compression, contraction, and pushing are focused on one goal - strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. If you gradually increase the quantity and duration, Kegel exercises for women with urinary incontinence will help get rid of the pathology and maintain muscle tone.

Basic exercises include the following:

Compression or tension, which is similar to the process when it is necessary to stop the flow of urine. With the correct technique, you should hold the pelvic floor muscles in this position, counting to three, and then relax, again counting an equal number of seconds. Gradually, the initial time for treating pathology can be increased to 15 seconds or moved to a more complex level, which in intimate exercises is called “elevator”. The increase in compression occurs with a slight force, like a rise to the floors, and in the reverse order there is a smooth “descent” of tension.
Contractions are a type of strengthening task that must be done as intensely as possible, quickly alternating between contractions and relaxations.
Pushing is a type of basic training that is very familiar to pregnant women. When performing it, you need to push, and if the technique is correct, then this will be felt as tension during bowel movements.

Bladder exercises for women

Below are the main exercises:

With your feet shoulder-width apart, take the starting position. Place your palms on your buttocks, and then, straining your pelvic floor muscles, do compressions.
Lie on your stomach, bend your leg at the knee and, being in the starting position, alternate muscle tension with smooth relaxation.
Get on all fours, lower yourself slightly onto your forearms and elbows, placing your head between your hands. Gradually straining the muscles, feel the movement of compression upward, i.e., deep into the pelvic floor.
Sit cross-legged, rest your hands on your knees. The back should remain straight so that, by tensing the pelvic muscles, it feels as if the buttocks are being lifted off the floor when squeezed.

Normally, the bladder of an adult holds approximately 0.5 liters of fluid, which is accompanied by the urge to urinate. When you ignore the call of nature, the volume of urine in the bladder continues to increase, and the strength of the urge is constantly growing.

Nevertheless, as a result of suffering certain diseases, injuries, or simply due to the irreversible aging process of the body, a decrease in the volume of the bladder occurs, a decrease in muscle tone and, accordingly, wrinkling of its walls. This is accompanied by the development of one or another type of urinary incontinence, so the question of how to strengthen the bladder becomes very relevant in such cases.

Basic methods

Today there are products that help cope with bladder overactivity. This:

developing and maintaining a toileting schedule;
performing special exercises;
taking medications.

Attention! Only a doctor can develop the most effective treatment regimen and give valuable recommendations on strengthening the bladder muscles.

Of course, the first thing you need to do is create a schedule for going to the restroom, taking into account the characteristics and needs of a particular person. Therefore, some patients are recommended to visit the toilet every hour, and even in the absence of the urge; for others, it is enough to leave only once every 2 hours, etc. Strict adherence to the developed schedule allows you to regain control of your bladder over time and cope with the problem of urinary incontinence.

Maintaining a urinary routine allows you to avoid embarrassment and gradually increase the intervals between visits to the restroom.

Important: if it is not always possible to run to the toilet at night, you should place a chamber pot near the bed.

Also, everyone who is faced with such a delicate problem should follow the following general recommendations:

give up spices and any diuretic drinks, in particular caffeine-containing drinks, alcohol, etc.;
reduce weight if the readings on the scale are far from ideal;
try not to drink anything 2 hours before bedtime;
each time you empty the bladder, you should try to remove the maximum amount of liquid from it, but not through effort, but by resuming the attempt to urinate a few seconds after the act of urination.

Set of exercises

Most often, when turning to a doctor with a question about how to strengthen the muscles of the bladder, he recommends doing. They help strengthen the muscles of the perineum, which are actually responsible for the ability to hold urine until the right moment. We present the most effective of them.

The muscles of the perineum, including the anus, tense and pull inward. You should stay in this position for at least 3 seconds. and relax. Repeat for a minute. Experts advise performing this exercise whenever possible, for example, while driving a car, standing in line, listening to reports at meetings, etc.
Having taken a position lying on your back, you need to alternately raise your straight legs up so that your leg forms a right angle with the floor. Then each leg is raised in turn so that there is an angle of 45°C between it and the floor. In the third pass, the left and right legs are raised approximately 30 cm from the floor. Each time you lift one leg or another, you should maintain this position for 5 seconds.
Having taken a position lying on your back with your knees bent, you should spread your knees all the way, while keeping your feet tightly pressed to each other. The ideal execution is to raise the knees so that they touch the floor. This position is maintained for 5 seconds.
Having taken a sitting position on the floor with your legs extended forward, your hands are placed on your knees. Bend forward, running your palms along your legs, while trying to reach your toes. In the extreme position they are delayed for 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Having taken a kneeling position, perform oblique squats so that you alternately sit on the right and then on the left of your legs. In extreme positions they are delayed for 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Standing, perform bends, each time trying to touch the floor.
Stand near a chair, legs spread as far apart as possible. Perform 3 squats, while straining the pelvic floor muscles. Gradually the number of repetitions is increased to 10.
The ball is clamped between the thighs and try to walk around the room with it for 2-3 minutes.
Lying on your back, hold the ball between your knees, raise your pelvis and swing it from side to side 8 times.

Attention! With proper and regular exercise, you can increase the tone of the pelvic floor muscles at any age.

If you exercise regularly, you can completely get rid of mild incontinence.

Drug therapy

Exercise is an effective way to combat incontinence, but in order for bladder strengthening exercises to produce the expected results, they must be performed regularly and for a sufficiently long time. Therefore, in order to speed up the healing process, many patients are prescribed certain medications by doctors. Of course, the choice of specific drugs depends on what caused the problem. Consequently, each patient receives an individually selected list of medications that are suitable for him. Most often, patients are prescribed:

adrenergic agents;
antidepressants;
hormonal drugs, etc.

In rare cases, in order to strengthen the bladder, patients are given injections of botulinum toxin, which is essentially a neurotoxin. That is, this poison completely disables the nerve endings directly in the area where it was injected, which quickly solves the problem of urinary incontinence of a neurogenic nature.

Any medications, however, like folk remedies, can only be used with the permission of a doctor!

Traditional medicine can also give several recommendations on how to strengthen the bladder of a woman, child or man.

0.5 kg of wildflowers are dipped in 5 liters of boiling water and simmered over low heat for about 20 minutes. Leave for 1 hour. This remedy is suitable for preparing special hot baths that improve blood circulation in the pelvis. You can take them daily for half an hour. Of course, before adding the infusion to the water, it should be strained.
A handful of chamomile flowers, string or other herb is steamed in a small amount of hot water and, after the mixture has cooled to 36°C, poured into a bowl of warm water. Patients are recommended to perform sitz baths daily for 10 minutes.
For 3 weeks you need to drink tea made from St. John's wort, bearberry, knotweed and oak bark taken in equal quantities. 2 tbsp. l. This mixture is brewed in 1 liter of boiling water. The finished drink is drunk with meals, 1 cup three times a day.

Regular bladder exercises help avoid a number of problems. The proper functioning of the organs located in the pelvic area depends on healthy and elastic muscles. People who have a strong bladder never suffer from urinary incontinence.

Exercise therapy and gymnastics

Weakening of the bladder muscles leads to urinary incontinence. The situation may worsen during pregnancy and after childbirth, with changes in the body that are associated with age or with a sharp increase in weight. For men, exercise will help overcome premature ejaculation. To treat such a pathology, it is necessary to perform a therapeutic physical complex that strengthens the weakened muscles of the bladder. Examples of exercises that should be performed to strengthen the bladder:

Squeeze the ball with your knees, while at the same time contracting the muscle located in the perineum. The tension lasts from 3 to 10 seconds. Perform at a slow pace up to 10 times.
Squat while moving your arms back as far as possible. Tighten the muscle that is located in the perineum and the buttocks. The squat is performed with springy movements, the execution speed is average. Repeat 10 times.
The following exercise is performed while walking on your toes: you bend over and try to reach your feet with your fingers.
An exercise consisting of squats, which are performed as follows: you need to hold on to a chair with your hands, your legs are spread wide apart. With the help of this exercise, the muscle tissues that are located in the pelvis are trained.

The main muscle that, when weakened, leads to urinary incontinence is the one that closes and opens the sphincter of the bladder. It's easy to get it back to normal. When urinating, you must voluntarily interrupt this process, and then continue emptying. Running this interrupt several times will bring good results. Performing this exercise quickly restores muscle tone and incontinence disappears.

Kegel exercises will be beneficial for any woman.

The more often you do the exercises, the faster the problem will disappear. A special set of therapeutic physical exercises is used:

Sit down, bend your legs, focus on straightened arms. Keep your knees looking to the sides, pull them harder, trying to touch the floor with your knees. Do up to 10 times.
While sitting, bend your legs, roll onto your back, and return to the position. Perform at a slow pace up to 7 times.
Get on all fours. Moving your palms, move your body as far as possible to the right, then to the left. Execution speed is average. Repeat about 5 times.
Get on your knees. Place your hands behind your head. Perform hip squats alternately in both directions. The speed of the exercise is average. Perform 7 repetitions.
Lie on your side. As you exhale, pull your legs up, bending them at the knees and clasping them with your arms. Repeat the exercise on the other side, 3-4 times.
Lie on your back. The legs are extended together, the arms are extended along the body. Inhaling, lift your pelvic and lumbar parts of your body up, focusing on your heels and shoulders. Hold the position for 10 seconds. Repeat up to 10 times.
Lie on your back. Raise your legs at an angle of 25 degrees, they should be bent at the knees. The arms are extended along the body. Lifting your pelvis up as much as possible, squeeze the muscles of the perineum and buttocks and fix the position for 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise up to 10 times.

With regular implementation of this complex, urinary incontinence will disappear within few weeks. If the result is positive, you should not stop doing physical exercises, since preventive measures will help to avoid renewed weakening of muscle tissue and, as a result, the bladder. Exercises carried out for prevention will help strengthen the general condition of the tissues and abdominal organs.

Kegel exercises to strengthen the bladder in women and men

Daily performance of a set of specialized exercises strengthens the abdominal muscles and solves the problem of weak urine.

Kegel exercises are one of the simplest and most effective methods of strengthening the bladder. The set of exercises includes specially designed strengthening workouts, which are performed to prevent drip and mild urinary incontinence, and also treat significant manifestations with their help. A special complex has been developed for pregnant women to prevent the occurrence of urinary incontinence.

Indications

Future pregnancy and childbirth - during childbirth, the muscles of the pelvis and perineum are fully used. If you learn to control them, it will be possible to speed up the birth process and minimize pain.
Restoration of the body after childbirth - during childbirth, stretching and weakening of the pelvic muscle tissue occurs. It is necessary to strengthen them to bring them back to a healthy normal.
Preventive measures for urinary and fecal incontinence are delicate pathologies that can arise at a later age and have special development and factors that predispose to incontinence. Timely strengthening of weakened tissues will help avoid such problems.
Preventive and therapeutic measures for prolapse of organs located in the pelvis - for example, kidneys.
Preventive and therapeutic measures for hemorrhoids - in some cases, pathology can develop due to a sedentary lifestyle and low physical activity. However, training the pelvic tissue reduces the risk of its occurrence.
Maintaining long-lasting sexual health.
Prevention of inflammation of the genital organs.
Extending the youth of the body.
Prevention of negative complications after surgical removal of the uterus.
For the treatment of sexual dysfunction.

If the muscular tissues of the pelvic floor are unable to fully support the pelvic organs, this can lead to their prolapse, as well as other unpleasant pathologies. For example, involuntary urination with weakened muscles can occur even while laughing or coughing, so this is a rather sensitive problem.

Contraindications

Correct exercise technique is the key to good health.

Completion of these classes implies strict compliance with technology. First of all, you should learn to breathe correctly. This is necessary so that when concentrating during exercise you do not use other muscles. Otherwise, the effect may be the opposite of the desired one, since there is a risk of increased intra-abdominal pressure due to improper execution of the exercises.

You need to breathe deeply and evenly. Breathing is performed only with the stomach; the chest should not move.

If you perform strengthening exercises with a full bladder, there is a risk of infection of the urinary tract or inflammation of the genitourinary organs. Therefore, before classes you need to have a bowel movement. Do not exercise while taking a hot bath. The expansion of blood vessels from hot water when performing techniques can lead to a strong jump in intra-abdominal pressure.

List of pathologies for which Kegel exercises cannot be used:

inflammation of the genitourinary organs;
infectious diseases;
acute cardiovascular diseases;
pelvic organ prolapse;
the presence of malignant and benign tumors.

Intimate muscle tissue training is contraindicated if you have recently suffered a perineal injury or any surgical intervention. In this case, all physical activity is carried out after the body has fully recovered. The length of the rehabilitation period will depend on the severity of the injury.

Kegel exercise technique

For women, the basis of the exercises is to slowly squeeze the muscles that are used during urination. The duration of the tension is about 3-4 seconds. Then a break of the same time and compression again. Over time, the duration of tension and relaxation should reach up to 20 seconds. The very last stage of the exercise is the lift. To perform it, compression is performed slowly and lightly, then the muscles are squeezed even tighter for 5 seconds. Then the voltage increases again, the increase in voltage should occur in 4-7 stages. After this, the voltage decreases in the reverse order. Other Kegel exercises:

rapid alternating contraction and relaxation of muscle tissue;
“pushing” exercise: the sphincter is tensed in the same way as it happens during contractions or when a person pushes.

Exercises should be made more difficult approximately once a week. Add 5 exercises to the total until the number reaches 30 repetitions. In this case, 150 daily exercises should be performed to maintain muscle tone. This specific set of exercises requires patients to perform diligently and take a serious approach. The main requirement for a positive effect from training is to gradually increase the complexity of the exercises and increase the duration of execution time. This load will also benefit healthy people for prevention purposes.

Each person's bladder, depending on individual anatomical features, can hold approximately 1 liter of urine. Weakened muscles of the organ lead to an uncontrolled process of accumulation and excretion of urine. The disease most often manifests itself in young children and elderly women. Women suffer from bladder weakness 3 times more often than the stronger sex. This is due to differences in the structure of the body. The question: how to strengthen the bladder can arise in almost every person’s mind.

A decrease in the tone of the muscle walls of the bladder leads to the inability of the brain to receive nerve impulses that send receptors to the organ and indicate its filling. This process contributes to urinary incontinence (atony) and its uncontrolled release drop by drop.

As a rule, a weakened bladder is a consequence of pathological processes in the body that need to be identified and a timely fight begun. In some cases, the help of specialists of other profiles (neurologist, gynecologist, surgeon) is necessary.

After identifying the cause of urinary incontinence and based on the symptoms, treatment of the underlying pathology is prescribed and recommendations are given on how to strengthen the bladder. Only a doctor can determine what to do and what methods should be used; self-medication can only lead to a worsening of the unfavorable situation.

The bladder is clearly visible on ultrasound

Drug treatment

Medicines that strengthen the urinary system are prescribed in parallel with physiotherapeutic procedures, special exercises, diet and other treatment methods. Each product is used individually, as prescribed by a doctor, taking into account concomitant pathologies and the type of incontinence, as well as after a detailed study of the instructions for use.

Good results can be achieved by using Flavoxate, Propanthelin, Oxybutynin, which strengthen the muscular apparatus of the bladder, relieve and prevent spasms.

Uncontrolled urination caused by stress is treated with Duloxetine, Imipramine, Midodrine, Methoxamine, Ephedrine, Clenbuterol. These medications increase the tone and contractility of smooth muscles, but have numerous side effects.

In some cases, sedative pills, hormonal drugs (during menopause) and myotropic drugs are appropriate.

In severe cases, experts recommend an injection of botulinum toxin, which is a purified bacterial toxin. The drug acts on the nerve endings of a certain part of the muscular system of the organ, resulting in blocking the release of acetylcholine, which causes involuntary muscle contraction.

Paralysis or relaxation of the muscles that have been exposed to botulinum toxin occurs while other muscles continue to function normally. Thus, the problem of uncontrolled urination is solved. The injection is performed in a medical facility using local anesthesia. The effect is observed for 6-10 months.

In extreme cases, surgical intervention is possible:

cystoplasty, with which doctors increase the capacity of the bladder and reduce its instability;
Neuromodulation – results in continuous stimulation of the nerve. During surgery, a pulse generator and electrode are implanted, resulting in easier and more balanced urination.

electrophoresis;
ultrasound;
electrical stimulation of the bladder.

Treatment for a weak bladder in women can be carried out using an intravaginal device - a pessary. The product is made of silicone and prevents involuntary urination. The effect of the pessary depends on the type of pathology, clinical picture and individual characteristics of the body structure.

Pregnancy and childbirth can help women relax their bladder. This is a normal condition and usually goes away within a few weeks or months.

In men, bladder weakness can be caused by prostatitis or prostate adenoma, so the fight against these pathologies must be addressed first.

Impaired urination in a child, in most cases, is caused by impaired nervous regulation and should be treated only after consultation with a doctor.

Therapeutic and preventive physical education

To strengthen the bladder, they resort to Kegel exercises, which with regular training strengthen the bladder muscles. An important condition for performing each exercise is regularity and a gradual increase in loads. Treatment for bladder weakness in women and men with exercise is effective for both men and women.

Kegel exercises are effective for strengthening the pelvic muscles in women

Exercises using the Kegel system are varied. It is necessary to tilt and turn the torso, squat, rotate the pelvis, relax and tense various muscle groups, contract the perineal muscles, imitate cycling and skiing, etc. The most effective of them:

Lie on your back. Raise your right leg at an angle of 90º to the floor surface and hold for 5 seconds, lower. Perform the same movement with your left foot. In the same way, raise your legs one by one at an angle of 45º. Next, raise both legs to a height of 30-40 cm from the floor and hold for 5-10 seconds, lower. Then raise your legs at an angle of 90º and gradually lower them, stopping at 45º. At a height of 30-40 cm, maintain the position of your legs for 5 seconds. Breathe freely.
Lie on your back, bend your knees, then spread them apart. The feet are pressed against one another. Try to spread your knees as much as possible and remain in this position for 5 seconds.
In a standing position, lean on a chair and slowly squat down, while spreading your knees to the sides. Stay in this position for 5 seconds and slowly rise up. When performing the exercise, you need to feel the tension of the pelvic muscles. Initially, you need to do three squats.
Hold the ball between your thighs and walk slowly for several minutes. The exercise has the greatest effect when using a small ball.
Tighten and relax the muscles of the perineum for a few seconds. Performing this exercise is very convenient, as it is invisible to others.

Folk remedies

You can also strengthen the bladder muscles with folk remedies, which can solve the problem of urination and not cause harm to the body.

Pour boiling water (1 cup) over dill seeds (1 tablespoon). Leave for several hours. Drink in one go. The infusion has an excellent strengthening effect.

Pour shepherd's purse (3 tsp) with cold water (1 glass), strain, and leave for 8 hours. Use 2 tbsp. spoons up to 4 times a day.

Marshmallow has a good supporting effect on the bladder. Pour the root of the plant (6 g) with cold water (200 ml), leave for 10 hours. The prepared product is drunk one day before.

Plantain leaves (1 tbsp) are poured with boiling water, infused for an hour, and filtered. Accepted 1 tbsp. spoon up to 4 times a day half an hour before meals.

Even ordinary plantain can significantly strengthen the bladder

Mix St. John's wort and centaury and use as tea.

Many believe that a weak bladder can be strengthened through hypnosis, but experts are skeptical about this method.

Rules of conduct for a weak bladder

There is no need to reduce the amount of liquid you drink.
Timely emptying is necessary.
You should lose excess weight.
It is recommended to give up bad habits that relax the sphincter and bladder (alcohol, smoking).
Do not abuse alcohol, carbonated drinks, caffeine, milk, citrus fruits, hot and spicy foods. And also sugar, honey, chocolate, artificial sugar substitutes.

It must be remembered that turning to numerous healers and sorcerers who are ready to cure urinary incontinence using various spells and rituals will not lead to getting rid of the disease and is fraught with undesirable consequences.

Physical activity is a benefit and necessity for humans: even the ancient sages said that movement is life. So, there are exercises that improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system (these are familiar walking, running, jumping, swimming, cycling) and increase lung capacity (breathing exercises). Special training for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes has been developed for the bladder and pelvic floor muscles. For many patients with genitourinary disorders, regular exercises recommended by the doctor help improve their well-being and regain their usual quality of life. Read more about fitness for delicate muscles below.

Purpose of the bladder and pelvic floor muscles

The bladder is a hollow muscular organ designed to store, retain and excrete urine. Its volume in an adult, depending on gender and age, varies from 250 to 400–500 ml.

If the bladder resembles a bowl, then the pelvic floor muscles look like a hammock. They support the pelvic organs (bladder, urethra, rectum, uterus and ovaries in women, prostate in men) and are also responsible for urinary retention.

When does your bladder need exercise?

One of the reasons to start bladder training is a diagnosis of overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). Symptoms of this rather uncomfortable condition include frequent urination (more than 8 times a day). Treatment of OAB syndrome combines drug therapy and exercises to regulate bladder function.

When do the pelvic floor muscles need training?

The pelvic floor muscles, like any muscle in the body, can weaken, and then symptoms of incontinence and. It's not the same thing! Let us explain: incontinence is the involuntary release of urine without urge, and with incontinence, the urge is expressed, but an attempt to hold urine in order to reach, for example, the toilet room, fails.

It is recommended to train the pelvic floor muscles for men and women with existing symptoms of urinary incontinence, after undergoing abdominal surgery and obesity, and for the fair sex, in addition, before and after childbirth (including after cesarean section) and after menopause.

How to train your bladder

The basic recommendation that urologists give to patients is to continue for 3 days. It is necessary to note in the self-observation questionnaire the time of urination, its approximate volume in milliliters, the presence or absence of urgent (unbearable, sudden, urgent) urges and cases of urinary incontinence. The records will help you see what the average interval between toilet visits is and understand whether there is cause for concern. The recommended break between urination during the day should be 2.5–3 hours, no more and no less. If the urge to urinate occurs more often, you need to be patient and gradually increase the periods between satisfying small needs to the recommended 2.5–3 hours. At the same time, you should not limit the usual volume of liquid consumed with drinks and meals. Regular training of bladder “endurance” in this way can give the first results several months later - you should not expect a great effect after a week of self-monitoring of the delicate process.

How to train your pelvic floor muscles

Firstly, the condition of the pelvic floor muscles is beneficially affected by general physical exercises, which strengthen the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, back and buttocks. These are swings and leg raises, twisting, stands with emphasis on the palms and feet, as in push-ups (the so-called plank), abdominal exercises, as well as spinal deflections familiar from school physical education lessons - “bridge” and “box”, which not only develop flexibility and improve figure and posture, but also tone the condition of internal organs. The types and sequence of exercises, frequency of approaches performed, duration of training, number of sessions per week and other issues of therapeutic and recreational load should be discussed with your doctor.

Secondly, a special method of training delicate muscles has been developed - Kegel exercises. Their author is the American gynecologist Arnold Kegel, who back in 1948 proposed treating urinary incontinence in women non-surgically, with the help of physical activity that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles (they are sometimes even called “Kegel muscles”).

How to do Kegel exercises

Before training, you need to empty your bladder. The cycle of exercises begins with a slow contraction of the pelvic muscles, as if to stop urination. Muscle tension should be maintained for a slow count of three, then relax and repeat the exercise.

The second part of the workout is contractions. It is necessary to tense and relax the pelvic muscles, accelerating the pace of compression and relaxation with each repetition. Finally, pushing movements are performed, similar to pushing, as if there is a need to excrete the rest of the urine.

How many times should you do Kegel exercises? Ideally – 5 times a day. You should start with 10 approaches to each exercise, then increase the load, adding 5 approaches every week. According to urologists, excellent results are achieved by those patients who were able to increase the level of training from the minimum (10 approaches) to the maximum (150 approaches for each exercise!).

Benefits of bladder and pelvic floor muscle training

Regular fitness for delicate muscles is useful not only because it helps to reduce or completely eliminate the symptoms of urinary incontinence and prevent other urological and gynecological diseases. A pleasant “side effect” of training is an improvement in the quality of sexual life. However, like any other physical activity, exercises for the bladder and pelvic floor muscles may have contraindications, so before starting training, consultation with a specialist is advisable.