KEGEL EXERCISES FOR MEN

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it? Kegel exercises help to strengthen the pelvic muscles and to bring back or improve bladder and bowel control. People with stress incontinence (in-KON-ti-nens) (urine leakage during activities or exercise) often do Kegel exercises. People with fecal incontinence (problems controlling bowel movement leakage) may also do Kegel exercises. These exercises are done by tightening and relaxing the pelvic muscles. Kegel exercises are also called pelvic floor muscle training or pelvic floor exercises. They must be done correctly and regularly in order to help strengthen the pelvic muscles.

What are pelvic muscles? Pelvic muscles are attached to the area between your pelvic (hip) bones. These muscles act like a strong floor to help hold your pelvic organs in place. Examples of pelvic organs are the bladder (holds urine) and rectum (holds bowel movements). Certain conditions may cause the pelvic muscles to weaken. When your pelvic muscles become weak, the pelvic organs may sag onto one another. When this happens, you may have stress incontinence or other problems.

What causes weak pelvic muscles?

• Being overweight.

• Doing activities that put pressure on the bladder. These include hard coughing, sneezing, and heavy lifting. These include constipation (kon-sti-PAY-shun) (hard to have a BM) straining often while urinating or having a BM.

• Normal aging (becoming an older adult).

• Not exercising regularly.

• Prostate gland surgery

How are Kegel exercises done? Kegel exercises can be done any time and anywhere. You can do them in the morning, noon or night. The exercises can be done while sitting, standing, lying on your back or taking a bath. Always urinate (empty your bladder) before starting. Do these exercises each day as directed by your caregiver.
 
• Slow contractions:

o Contract (tighten) the muscles around your anus (hole where bowel movements come out). This should feel like you are trying to hold back urine or gas.

o Hold these muscles for a count of 10.

o Slowly release these muscles and relax for a count of 10. Repeat the cycle again.

o Do a set of 10 contractions, three to four times every day.

• Quick contractions: Do five to ten quick, strong contractions after you are finished doing the slow contractions. These may help you prevent an accident by quickly stopping urine leaks.

 

• Remember: Keep your abdominal (stomach), back, and leg muscles relaxed during Kegel exercises. You should feel only the muscles between your legs (pelvic muscles) contracting. Try not to hold your breath while doing these exercises.

 

What can I do if my muscles are too weak to hold contractions? At the beginning, many people cannot contract their muscles for a count of 10. Build up your pelvic muscles slowly. Start Kegel exercises by squeezing and relaxing pelvic muscles for four to five seconds each. You can increase your count as your muscle tone improves.

 

What are the correct muscles to use during Kegel exercises? Some people use the wrong muscles when doing Kegel exercises. Instead of using the pelvic muscles, they use their back, abdominal, or upper leg muscles. If you use the wrong muscles, the Kegel exercises will not help you. To make sure you are using the right muscles, try the following:

 

• Sit on the toilet, or stand in front of the toilet. While passing urine, tighten your muscles to stop the flow of urine. Do this several times until you know what it feels like to tighten the correct muscles. Once you have found the right muscles to use, only do Kegel exercises when you are not urinating.

• Lie down and put one finger in your rectum. Tighten your muscles as if trying to stop urine and BM from coming out. The rectal muscle should tighten around your finger.

• Your caregiver may do biofeedback (beye-oh-FEED-bak) or electrostimulation (ee-lek-troh-stim-u-LAY-shun) to help you use the correct muscles. The caregiver may put electrodes on your abdomen and rectal (BM) area, or a sensor inside your rectum. Electrodes and sensors are patches or inserts with wires that are attached to a machine. Biofeedback can help you identify (feel) the correct muscles to use and measure muscle strength during Kegel exercises. Electrostimulation may help improve muscle tone by making the correct muscles contract.

 

How can I remember to do my Kegel exercises regularly? Do your exercises at the same times every day. For example, you can do Kegel exercises when you wake up in the morning, after lunch, and at bedtime. You may want to keep a Kegel exercise diary. Write down how many times each day you do Kegel exercises and how many exercises you do each time.

 

What else should I know about Kegel exercises?

• It may take three to six months after starting Kegel exercises to see a difference in bladder control. You may begin to notice improved bladder control after six to eight weeks.

• Do not stop doing Kegel exercises until you have talked to your caregiver. Kegel exercises are useful for the rest of your life.

• Tighten your pelvic muscles before sneezing, lifting, jumping or getting out of the car.

• Increased muscle tone from doing Kegel exercises may improve your ability to have erections (ee-REK-shuns).

• Women may also use Kegel exercises to improve bladder control.

Call your caregiver if:

• You cannot feel your muscles tightening and relaxing. Call if you think you are using the wrong muscles to do Kegel exercises.

• Your incontinence is getting worse.

• You have a hard cough that will not go away, and it is making your incontinence worse.