Tag: postpartum care

The Truth about Kegels

Kegels have long been touted as the go-to exercise for pelvic floor health, especially for people dealing with issues like incontinence or postpartum recovery. While they can help isolate and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, Kegels alone often fall short of delivering true functional benefits.

Why? Because our bodies don’t operate in isolation. For your pelvic floor to function optimally, it needs to work in harmony with your entire core and adapt to the dynamic movements of daily life. Without this integration, Kegels can become an exercise in futility.

The Problem with Kegels

1. Lack of Functional Application:
   Kegels focus on contracting and releasing the pelvic floor muscles, but this movement rarely mirrors real-life demands. Your pelvic floor isn’t just called upon when you’re sitting still; it’s working when you lift, squat, walk, and breathe.
2. Over-Isolation of Muscles:
   By isolating the pelvic floor without addressing its relationship with surrounding muscles (like the diaphragm, deep core, and glutes), you risk creating imbalances. Overly tight or weak pelvic floor muscles can lead to dysfunction, just like any other muscle in the body.
3. Failure to Address Coordination:
   The pelvic floor works as part of a team. It should naturally contract and relax in response to movement and changes in intra-abdominal pressure (like when you sneeze or lift something heavy). Kegels don’t train this coordination, which is essential for functional pelvic health.

The Functional Alternative

To truly improve pelvic floor function, exercises must integrate the pelvic floor into whole-body movements. Here’s how:

1. Link the Pelvic Floor to Breathing:
   Your pelvic floor and diaphragm are closely connected. Practicing diaphragmatic breathing can help you engage the pelvic floor naturally during inhalation and exhalation, training it to respond to pressure changes.
   
2. Incorporate Functional Movements:
   Exercises like squats, lunges, and deadlifts—when performed with proper alignment and core engagement—naturally involve the pelvic floor. These moves train the pelvic floor to support your body during the activities you perform daily.
   
3. Focus on Stability and Coordination:
   Exercises like bird dogs, bridges, and planks can help integrate the pelvic floor into larger movement patterns, ensuring it works cohesively with other muscles.
   

Final Thoughts

Kegels aren’t inherently bad—they’re just not the whole story. Isolating the pelvic floor can be a useful first step for some, especially in early stages of rehab. But if you want lasting results and improved function, you need to think bigger.

Train your pelvic floor to move and respond as part of a coordinated system, and you’ll not only strengthen this critical muscle group but also improve your overall movement and quality of life.

Say goodbye to endless Kegels and hello to functional movement for true pelvic floor health!