What Is A Kegel?

What is a kegel?

Someone on my Facebook page asked what is a kegel? I thought this was common knowledge, but I now realize it is not. Also, in other countries perhaps they don't call it a kegel as commonly as we do in the United States.

A kegel is another name for a pelvic floor muscle contraction.

Why is it called a kegel?

It is called a kegel because Dr. Kegel is the doctor who first described this movement in 1948. Not that long ago!

Often in science and medicine whoever discovers something can name it what they want, so it gets named after the person who discovered it, hence the kegel for Dr. Kegel.

How do you do a kegel?

A kegel is squeezing the pelvic floor muscles.

For women it helps to think about stopping your urine stream.

For men it helps to think about lifting up the tip of the penis.

The muscles are the same for both male and female, we just have different genitalia (penis or vagina), but the muscles surrounding them look remarkably similar.

Female model left, male model right

Should I do kegels?

That is a less direct answer.  Kegels can be helpful for those with bladder(or bowel) leakage and prolapse symptoms.

If you have pelvic pain, tailbone pain, pain with sex (male or female) then kegels are probably not for you. Kegels are a strengthening exercise and if you have pain, those muscles are likely already overactive and tight.

For other pelvic conditions such as bowel or bladder leakage or prolapse symptoms, kegels can be helpful, but most of the time kegels alone are not the answer. Often kegels need to be done in combination with strengthening the hips or core, coordinating your breathing with movements better or with a combination of stretching other muscles surrounding the pelvis.

The best way to find out if kegels are right for you or not is to see a pelvic floor therapist and get assessed. You might be surprised what you find!