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The Perfect Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise
Our talented therapist and colleague, Jessica Cisneros, will demonstrate how to perform the perfect pelvic floor muscle exercise, or otherwise known as the "Kegel".
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Arnold Kegel, an American Gynecologist coined the term "Kegel" in 1948, to describe an exercise of the pelvic floor muscles that, when strengthened, help support internal organs, prevent urinary and fecal incontinence, reduce pelvic pain and can prevent prolapse of tissues.
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In these video examples, we use the metaphor of the pelvic floor muscles as if they were rising in an elevator, to the 4th floor of a building, as they shorten and contract. As they relax onto the 1st floor, the second part of the exercise is to bulge or lengthen them into the basement. Then they relax on the 1st floor.
Part A
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Inhale. Then Exhale and lift pelvic floor muscles to 4th floor.
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Relax onto the 1st floor.
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Part B
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Inhale. As you exhale, bulge into the basement.
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Relax back to 1st floor.
Disclaimer: The content of this website is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of a healthcare provider when starting or discontinuing a new treatment. You assume all responsibility for how you choose to use this information.
Our talented therapist, Jessica Cisneros, is demonstrating the pelvic floor exercise, in sitting. This is an advanced exercise, since we are working against gravity now. We normally add this exercise after the Kegel is perfected in the supine position, as demonstrated above. Remember to relax the pelvic floor muscle completed during the transition from Part A to Part B of the exercise.
Functional Pelvic Floor Exercise
Once you have mastered the exercises in the two videos above, a progression of the pelvic floor exercise is to do it during a transitional movement, such as coming to stand from a seated position and coming to sit from a standing position.
Self Correcting Technique
The pelvis is a central component of the body's movement system. It is comprised of 4 bones (right and leg hip bones, the sacrum, and the coccyx). The joints where the hip bones and sacrum meet are called the Sacroiliac (SI) joints. They can become misaligned by daily habits including crossing your legs or favoring one leg while standing. When your SI joints are off, you may experience a variety of symptoms including back pain, hip pain, knee pain, incontinence, etc. The self-correcting technique realigns these joints.
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Perform this technique 2 to 3 times a day. We suggest once in the morning, once before bed, and before exercises. Hold each position approximately 5 seconds.
Stabilization Exercise: Bridge
After performing the self correcting technique, you should strengthen the muscles surrounding the SI joints while in the corrected position. We recommend performing bridges. Make sure you are activating your core (abs) and glutes (bottom).
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Start with 10 repetitions and work your way up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Remember: Quality over quantity with exercises.
Hamstring Stretches
Hamstrings attach to the pelvis and below the back of the knees, therefore they are often involved with low back pain, knee pain and pelvic issues. They are often tight due to today's sedentary lifestyle (People sit a lot!).
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Perform gentle stretches 2 to 3 times a day, maintaining the stretch approximately 15 to 30 seconds. The frequency and duration of a stretch may be adjusted by a therapist from person to person.
Piriformis Stretches
The Piriformis muscle attaches from the sacrum to the hip. It often compensates for weak glutes and consequently becomes tight. A tight Piriformis can be associated with back pain, sciatica, and pelvic issues.
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Perform gentle stretches 2 to 3 times a day, maintaining the stretch approximately 15 to 30 seconds. The frequency and duration of a stretch may be adjusted by a therapist from person to person.
