Heading Kegels for Prolapse Repair
If you're worried about your pelvic prolapse getting worse these exercises are for you!
HI I'm Michelle and today I'm guiding you through Kegels to help you stop your prolapse
worsening and reduce prolapse symptoms.
This exercises are most likely to help you with bladder (cystocoele), uterus and/or bowel
(rectocoele) prolapse
Scientific research has shown that Pelvic floor muscle training can reduce prolapse
severity and improve prolapse symptoms in women with mild to moderate prolapse (Grade
1-111)
If your prolapse is severe and protruding from your vagina, Kegel exercises are unlikely
to reverse your condition, however it's still worth practicing you Kegel exercises.
Today you'll learn the
1.
Best time to do Kegels with prolapse problems 2.
The best position to out start with 3.
How to do your Kegels to repair your prolapse and 4.
How many Kegels to do for best results
If you need more help with prolapse exercises and safe exercises to avoid prolapse worsening,
you can refer to this Prolapse Exercises book, it's linked in the description below
Before we start exercising, it's important to know how Kegels can help your prolapse.
Your pelvic floor muscles sit here underneath your bladder, uterus, vagina and rectum.
When these muscles are working well, they help in holding up these organs to stop them
from falling down through your vagina.
Demonstrate on the model of pelvis - you can see the pelvic floor muscles here and the
organs inside.
Kegels can make these muscles work better to stop this area sagging which helps to reduce
bulging and heaviness in your vagina here (pointing)
lift your pelvic floor higher to reduce prolapse severity AND reduce prolapse
1.
Best Time to do Kegels
The best time for your exercises is when your muscles are well rested and your prolapse
is sitting higher than later in the day.
Try doing your kegels when you first wake up and then again during the morning.
Kegels will be more difficult after you've been standing and moving around especially
towards the end of the day when your prolapse may be bulging and uncomfortable.
Best Position for Kegels Exercises
The best position for your Kegels when you're starting out is usually lying down either
on your back or on your side, perhaps with a pillow between your legs for comfort.
In these lying down positions your prolapse will be less likely to bulge down with gravity
and bodyweight.
If you're doing your Kegels later in the day, you'll probably find them more comfortable
and easier to feel lying down.
Having said this if you're able to do your exercises sitting or standing, then choose
these positions especially at the start of the day when your pelvic floor muscles are
ready to exercise.
Part 2.
How to do Kegels for Prolapse
The correct Kegel technique for prolapse repair involves lifting inwards and squeezing in
and around your vagina, the opening to your urine tube and you're anus all at once.
Let's go through this together in 3 steps so you're sure about how to do this exercise
properly, then we'll put the steps together into one exercise.
Try to reposition your prolapse back up inside your vagina for these exercises if you can
before starting.
Step 1.
Start lying down or if you prefer you can start in a sitting position.
Just move your bottom forwards so that you're not resting your back against the backrest
of the chair and sit tall.
Here's the first step.
Squeeze and tighten your anus as if you're stopping gas from passing.
Can you feel that tightening sensation around your anus (and not your buttocks)?
Now relax your muscles.
Now try again, squeeze your anus and this time try to lift it inwards as if there's
a string pulling it upwards inside your body.
Now relax your anus and take a deep breath.
How did you go with that part of the exercise?
Your goal is to squeeze and lift your anus but keep your bottom muscles relaxed.
Step 2.
Nest I'd like you to direct your attention to your vagina.
This time tighten your vagina try to lift your vagina inwards, as if there's a string
lifting the top of your vagina up inside your body.
Let's try that together now, squeeze and tighten the entrance to your vagina and lift inwards
- keep lifting if you can, keep squeezing and keep lifting, and now and take a deep
breath in and out.
How are you going with this so far at home?
We've got one last step to go so stay with me, you're almost there.
Step 3.
The third and final step involves tightening at the front where your urine comes out.
Imagine you're trying to stop or slow the flow of urine.
Now see if you can you tighten this area and lift it inwards just like you did with your
anus and vagina.
Start now, tighten and lift inwards.
Keep lifting if you can and keep squeezing and now relax and take a deep breath in and
out.
Combine the 3 Steps
Those are the 3 parts of a correct Kegel exercise for prolapse repair - now let's put the steps
together.
Sit tall if you're sitting Breathe in and breathe out
As you breathe out tighten your anus and vagina, lift them both inwards and tighten and squeeze
as if you're stopping the flow of urine, all at the same time.
Keep tightening and lifting inwards if you can ..., keep going, one more breath if you
can and now relax your pelvic floor muscles back to resting and take a deep breath in
and out.
How did you go with that exercise?
Can you feel your pelvic floor muscles contracting or is it hard to feel anything happening?
Whatever you're feeling is ok, many of us can't feel anything when starting out.
If you're having trouble with these exercises you may like to take a moment to watch my
Kegels Exercises for Beginners for some more tips, it's linked above and in the description
below.
How Many Kegels?
When you first start out focus on getting your technique correct rather than how many
exercises you're doing.
Some women with prolapse tend to bear down rather than lifting inwards and doing this
can make prolapse symptoms worse, so you need to make sure you're using the correct lifting
inwards action.
Start out doing the number of exercises you can manage comfortably
Here's a Sample Daily Beginners Kegels Guide (I'll list this and an intermediate Kegels
guide in the description below)
If you can do 2-3 Kegels at the moment, then start out doing
* 2-3 Kegel exercises in a row * Holding each exercise as long as you can
up to around 6 seconds to start with * Rest for 10 seconds between each exercise
* Practice this routine 3 times during the day (3 sets) for example when you first wake
up, again after breakfast and then after morning tea or lunch
As your muscles get stronger and your control improves, try to do a few more Kegels and
start to hold each exercise longer.
I'll be teaching you some special Kegels strengthening techniques in upcoming weeks so you may like
to subscribe below to catch that video too.
So how long until you see results?
This varies from person to person.
Some women notice heaviness and bulging start to decrease within a couple of weeks whereas
for others it can take a couple of months to start noticing changes.
The key is to persevere and to see a Pelvic Floor Physio for help if you need assistance
managing your prolapse.
Insert image of Prolapse Exercises book again to right of screen with prompt Prolapse Exercises
eBook link see below
I really hope this guide helps you manage your prolapse and improve the quality of your
life.
Please don't forget to like this video if you've found it helpful and subscribe below
and click the notification bell for your upcoming Kegels strength training video.
Thank you for watching today, I'll see you next time.