what is a kegel

Kegel exercises are simple exercises that help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles support the uterus, bladder, small intestine, rectum, and other organs in the pelvic area. Kegel exercises involve squeezing, holding, and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. They can be done by both men and women, and can help with issues such as urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse. Kegel exercises can also be done during pregnancy or after childbirth to try to improve symptoms. To get started with Kegel exercises, you need to find the right muscles to squeeze. One way to do this is to imagine you are trying to stop passing gas, and squeeze the muscles you would use. If you sense a "pulling" feeling in your vaginal or rectal area, you are squeezing the right muscles. Once youve identified your pelvic floor muscles, you can do the exercises in any position, although you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first. It is recommended to do at least 30 to 40 Kegel exercises every day, spreading them throughout the day.