What are kegel balls used for? Kegel exercisers: reviews, how to use, how to choose. Kegel exercises. How long to wear vaginal balls

What are Kegel balls for?

Vaginal muscles lose tone for various reasons: after a difficult pregnancy and childbirth, with age, due to excess weight and hormonal disorders. Their weakening leads to significant problems with a woman’s health, including loss of sexual sensitivity, urinary incontinence, and uterine prolapse. Therefore, it is important to strengthen the vaginal muscles, and the use of Kegel balls helps in this. What problems does training solve?

☐ Increase the quality of sexual life, improve the sensitivity of erogenous zones and orgasm;

☐ Prepares muscles for pregnancy and childbirth, and also restores the tone and elasticity of the vagina after childbirth;

☐ Serve as prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence;

☐ Improve microflora and prevent inflammatory diseases;

☐ Increase libido, delay the onset of menopause;

☐ Prevent pelvic organ prolapse.

How to choose Kegel balls?

If you are just starting to strengthen your vagina, it will be useful for you to know about the main parameters that are important to pay attention to when choosing vaginal balls:

☐ Model. Balls can be single, double or triple, separate or interconnected, with or without a release loop. The simplest models are suitable for beginners - single or connected double balls with a loop. There are also exercise machines that are shaped like an egg, they are not connected, are used individually and are suitable for women who already have training experience. Sometimes the balls or eggs have a vibration effect, which allows you to experience pleasure during use.

☐ Weight and size. It is important to choose balls that are suitable for your level and condition of the pelvic floor. A good place to start is with Kegel balls for women that are medium in size and light in weight. Over time, you should make your workouts more difficult. The more weight and smaller the size, the more difficult the level.

☐ Material. Balls are made of plastic, silicone, metal or stone. Metal balls are quite heavy, so they are not suitable for beginners. Stone balls are made from jade, but often jade, due to its high cost, is replaced with jadeite, which is porous in its structure and can become a breeding ground for infections. The material must be of high quality and hypoallergenic, otherwise there is a risk of inflammation and injury to the vagina.

How to use Kegel balls?

To strengthen intimate muscles with Kegel balls, there are general rules:

☐ As we have already found out, there are different models of balls, so before performing a set of exercises, read the instructions for using the Kegel balls that you purchased.

☐ Knowledge of the structure of the pelvic floor also helps in the effective use of balls. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to read about how the pelvic floor works and where the necessary muscles are located.

☐ Empty your bladder before class.

☐ It is better for beginners to practice in a lying position. Then you can move on to holding the balls while standing and even during physical activity.

☐ Lubricate the balls with lubricant before insertion and treat with an antiseptic after training.

☐ Do not hold your breath during exercises; it should be even and deep.

☐ Make sure that it is the intimate muscles that are working, and not the abdominal or buttock muscles.

Exercises with Kegel balls

To tone the pelvic floor muscles, perform the following types of exercises with balls: contraction, pushing out and retracting. How to use Kegel balls:

☐ Place the balls in the vagina, try to squeeze them with your muscles, feel the size and shape. Hold the tension for 5-10 seconds, then relax.

☐ Use a pushing motion (as when giving birth) to move the machine around the vagina. Get it completely out.

☐ Try to pull the machine inward, contracting the muscles.

At first, it is recommended to train for half an hour a day, repeating the exercises 10 times. Over time, you should change the weight and size of the balls, and increase the work until you keep the balls inside for 8 hours. Women with developed muscles can easily hold, move and turn even balls with the smallest weight inside.

Are ball training effective?

The use of Kegel balls can be effective, if you do it correctly, regularly and gradually increase the difficulty. Many women do not see results from training because they use the wrong muscles, or choose the wrong size and design of the balls, or simply cannot afford regular and long-term use. In addition, there is a high risk of buying low-quality balls, which will at least cause irritation of the mucous membrane.

The result is already after a month of training. Elise was developed by the British research company Tenscare together with the UK Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, clinically tested and has an INTERTEK safety certificate. By working with a myostimulator for just 20 minutes a day, you will get elastic and strong vaginal muscles.

Vaginal balls are an original, simple and effective device for training intimate muscles in women. It consists of a pair of balls, usually connected by a thread, which you need to insert into the vagina and try to keep them there by squeezing the muscles.

Similar devices in combination with special exercises have been used since ancient times in Japan, China, India, Ancient Greece and Rome. Most often, the balls were made of ivory or simply replaced with two small round stones.

Modern vaginal balls They are made from a large number of materials, giving them different shapes and diameters. Thanks to their wide variety, finding suitable balls at an affordable price is quite easy.

Purpose

Vaginal balls are not only intended for the sexual sphere of life, as many customers mistakenly believe. With their help, you can get rid of some gynecological and urological health problems. As a result regular training with balls you can:

• restore the volume and elasticity of vaginal tissues after childbirth;
• strengthen muscles pelvic floor, which helps solve the problem of urinary incontinence;
• increase libido (sexual desire);
• receive vivid sexual sensations from intimacy and at the same time significantly enhance the pleasant sensations of your partner, because trained muscles grip the man’s penis more tightly;
• diversify your intimate life by using balls as a sexual toy.

The advantage of balls compared to other vaginal exercise machines is their small size and absolute invisibility to others, so you can train with them anywhere.

The use of vaginal balls for infectious, inflammatory diseases and allergic reactions is possible only after consultation with your doctor.

Kinds

The modern industry of sexual products offers a large selection of vaginal balls, so even the most demanding customers can choose them for themselves.

They are distinguished according to the following parameters:

• diameter: about 1.5–3.5 cm;
• material: medical silicone rubber, metal, glass, plastic, latex;
• texture: smooth, pimpled, ribbed;
• isolation: the balls are separated or connected by a thread;
• the presence of additional properties: the balls can be weighted, hollow (with a load inside), vibrating (equipped with a control panel), and also with a shifted center of gravity.

Purchase criteria

The choice of suitable vaginal balls is individual and depends on the experience of doing such training, as well as on the physiological characteristics of the woman’s body.

Women who have no experience in training intimate muscles, and whose vaginal muscles are weakened (due to childbirth or other reasons), should choose balls with the following characteristics:

1. Diameter from 3 to 3.5 cm.
2. Light weight.
3. Heterogeneous surface.
4. Shifted center of gravity.

Such balls are more easily felt by the vaginal muscles and are easier to hold inside the body.

Metal balls of small diameter (1.5-2 cm) and with a smooth surface can be used by women whose muscles are already trained and controlled. Such balls increase the load on intimate muscles and contribute to their further strengthening, since keeping them inside is much more difficult.

Vaginal balls with vibration function are needed more for pleasure rather than for training. They are best used during foreplay before intimacy.

Exercises for Beginners

In order to start training, you only need vaginal balls. Some women may additionally need a water-based intimate gel lubricant (lubricant), but usually there are no problems with inserting the balls into the body.

Before and after use, wash the product with soap and treat with an antiseptic (for example, chlorheskidine).

The first and only exercise for beginners is to insert balls into the vagina, and then hold them there with muscle strength. This exercise strengthens the muscles at the entrance to the vagina, which are easier to feel and control than others.

The balls are inserted inside in a reclining position. The pulling thread should be left outside. Then you need to stand up and hold the machine for some time. The duration of the workout is determined individually and depends on the condition vaginal muscles(you can start with one minute, from time to time increasing the interval to several hours).

Usually the balls are felt inside the body for the first few minutes, after which this sensation goes away. Products whose center of gravity is shifted are felt longer and stronger than ordinary ones.

When moving, the balls may slide down, but if they are selected taking into account the recommendations given above, the risk of them falling out is small.

You can walk with the balls all day long, doing your usual activities. The constant rolling of the balls inside the body will force the muscles to contract throughout the day. Most of the time it will not be felt, but gradually it will lead to noticeable results and an improvement in the quality of intimate life.

Beginners should train their intimate muscles daily.

Training for experienced

After the muscles at the entrance to the vagina have become stronger and holding the balls inside the body is easy, the training should be made more difficult.

To do this, you need to conditionally delimit the vaginal area into three zones:

• lower (muscles of entry);
• middle (vagina itself):
• upper (cervical area).

The middle and upper sections are the most difficult to train. The muscles there are usually not involved in any way, and it is quite difficult to feel them during training. However, with due attention, a woman can learn to control all three muscle groups, including during sexual intimacy.

To start training, you need to insert the balls inside and tense the muscles of the lower part to keep them inside you. Then you need to listen to your body and feel the location of the simulator, which is located exactly in the second section, and then try to grasp it with the muscles of the same section.

Having mastered this method, you can learn to squeeze the ball with different strength, and also move it in different directions.

Working on the muscles of the upper third of the vagina requires a lot of concentration - they are the hardest to train. First you just need to learn how to feel and reduce them, and then the task can be complicated. So, holding the balls by force lower muscles you can try to push them out by tension in the upper section.

The following exercise will also give a good effect: one ball is inserted inside, and the second, connected to the first thread, remains outside. From this position, you should try to pull the second ball into the vagina without using your hands. In this way, you can work out all three sections of the vaginal muscles.

But what about the shortcomings?

The problem of hygiene is the only drawback of vaginal balls: they must be carefully washed before and after use. The result of insufficient cleanliness can be various vaginal infections, since bacteria can accumulate and actively multiply in the thread connecting both balls and on their surface.

Intimate fitness, wumbling or kegel balls (jade eggs) are all considered effective complex exercises aimed at strengthening the elasticity of the vaginal walls and muscles of the pelvic organs.

Many may be skeptical about vaginal balls and exercises developed by American gynecologist Arnold Kegel.

The technique is aimed not only at eliminating age-related changes in women such as urinary incontinence and uterine prolapse. But with their help you can improve the quality of your intimate life, get vivid orgasms and deliver incredible sensations to your partner.

Today we will tell you what the most effective workouts are, how to do them correctly at home and how to prepare.

If you have long wanted to excel in such intimate fitness as wumbling, you can start training with kegel balls. With their help, you will not only strengthen your health and genitourinary system, but also surprise your loved one.

Basic exercises

And so you decided to pump up your intimate muscles, and the first question arises: where to start the exercises in order to get results?

As before any workout, there are tips and tricks for beginners. When using kegel balls, you need to be thoroughly prepared.

Rules:

1. The most important thing is antiseptic treatment and lubricant of the simulator before its introduction. Disinfect and wash the balls both before and after each time. Hygiene is the basic rule for successful training.
2. It is done on an empty bladder. With a full bladder, discomfort, pain and leakage of urine may occur, which will make the lessons of poor quality.
3. During exercise, all muscles except the intimate ones should be in a relaxed state. To do this, you need to breathe correctly, draw in air and exhale not sharply and not hold it, so that your training is not on its last legs. Everything should proceed smoothly and rhythmically, concentrating only on the genital muscle area.
4. Be sure to take a comfortable position on a hard surface. For example, on a floor with a rug it is quite suitable. Legs bent at the knees, arms parallel to the body. For beginners, it is recommended to do it in a lying position, then you can do it sitting, standing, on your stomach, in general, choose your own.

The photo shows the balls themselves, and we will describe the principle of operation and how to use them below. Training intimate muscles involves several approaches and stages.

Description of training step by step

« Slow grip and compression" Insert the balls inside to a depth of 3 cm, leaving the lace outside. Once the jade eggs have been inserted to the desired depth, slowly squeeze and unclench them, while gradually and not sharply increasing the tension in the pelvic organs.

You should feel them throughout the entire workout. Time the clock, the first session is no more than 20 seconds, you need to add more each time. So throughout the lesson you constantly need to tense the tone of your intimate muscles and relax.

« Muscle contraction" This happens with the help of the intensity of training, through the same manipulations (compression and decompression), thanks to them they pump up vaginal muscles, the entrance to the vagina becomes extremely narrow.

You can do initial training starting from 15-20 seconds and as quickly as possible. We can immediately say that during these exercises you will get pleasant sensations, some women even get an orgasm.

« Sudden release" With this exercise you can prepare for successful birth, tone the pelvic organs. The muscles involved here are those that are involved when going to the toilet “for the most part.”

The goal of the training is to learn how to expel an egg by alternating for a few seconds by first squeezing and then unclenching the vaginal muscles. Each approach takes 5-8 seconds. In general it only takes 20-25.

If you devote 5-10 minutes a day to these workouts, then after 1-1.5 minutes you can feel changes in the intimate area. See how noticeably the muscles have become stronger, and surprise them with the power of squeezing and unclenching your beloved man.

Incontinence and how to solve the problem with balls

• Choose a standing pose. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, place your hands on your buttocks to understand how tense they are. Pull up the vaginal muscles, hold for 20-25 seconds. To begin with, do 5 approaches, each time increasing the time and quantity;
• Choose a pose on your elbows and knees (cat). The head is supported by the hands, and the same movements are performed, pulling the muscles upward. Each approach, there are also 5 of them, for 20-25 seconds.
• Lying on your stomach. Relaxing as much as possible and lifting your leg, compress and unclench for 20-25 seconds, change, and repeat the manipulation. Thus, do 2-3 approaches for each.
• Lie on your back. Spread your legs to the sides and bend your knees. One hand under the buttocks, the second just above the pubis.

Tighten the muscles in the same way with the force of compression and release for 20-25 seconds, slowly, not quickly. Do this up to 4 times in the first stage. With every workout intimate area increase the amount of exercise.


In a sitting position. Fold your legs in the lotus position, straight back, arms pulled back, lying on the floor. Do the same movements with the vaginal muscles for up to 5-8 seconds. 5-6 approaches at the first stage of training.

Standing pose again. Only here you need to bend over and rest your palms on your knees. At the same time, a straight back. Do 5-7 seconds up to 5-6 times, increasing them each time.

Kegel exercises for women at home with balls

What do jade eggs look like?:

• The shape of the exercise machine is oval.
• The number of balls does not exceed 2-3 pieces.
• Their diameter varies from 1.5-3.5 cm.
• Structure: hypoallergenic medical silicone.

When buying such a simulator for yourself, you should look at the quality certificate; it is advisable to purchase it in specialized Sex Shop stores or in pharmacies. The price on the Internet for these products ranges from 440 rubles.

To enhance the effect, you can purchase lubricants from famous manufacturers Contex and Durex.

They will help not only to easily slide and insert the balls, but also to stimulate the muscles of the genital organs. Kegel exercise training takes place in any position for you, which we described above.

Exercises should be performed in a maximally relaxed state, without external stimuli, in order to successfully start and finish them. Be sure to practice breathing correctly, take your time.

Take a full breath and do not exhale sharply; at the entrance, lift the balls up with your vaginal muscles. According to the scheme and instructions of the famous gynecologist Kegel, exercises are done 10 times, but at first you can start with a minimum number of them.

First of all, these trainings will help many postpartum and adult women with prolapse of the uterus and eliminate the symptoms of urinary incontinence.

And also get new sensations and add color to your intimate life. Kegel balls are used by partners to diversify sex and get new incredible sensations.

On initial stage, for inexperienced beginners, take balls that are larger in size and soft to the touch, they will be better felt inside you and felt by the muscles when compressed and pulled up. For training to be effective, you need to do it at least 3 times a week, or more often.

When prescribed, contraindications

As before any sport, you need to consult a doctor; before using the Kegel exercise machine, consult a gynecologist.

Indications:

• Neutralization of tears and sprains of the vaginal muscles.
• Increase the tone of the vaginal muscles.
• Postpartum or age-related urinary incontinence.
• Elimination of prolapsed or prolapsed uterus.
• Improve the quality of intimacy, experiments in sex.
• Fighting anorgasmia.

Contraindications:

• Acute ailments of the urinary system.
• Infectious, venereal.
• Varicose veins of the small pelvis.
• Varicose veins of the lower extremities.
• Oncology of intimate areas.
• Postoperative and postpartum period.

Pros and cons of classes:

1. The simulator will help improve the quality of intimate life and eliminate many female pathologies of the pelvic organs.
2. Training as a way of easy childbirth, quick rehabilitation after the birth of a child.
3. Women who exercised intensively before pregnancy do not have problems with pregnancy and pregnancy.

If you do Kegel exercises during pregnancy, it will help you have an easy birth, recovery, not feel the stretching of your intimate muscles and enjoy sex as before.

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Many people have heard about the benefits of Kegel exercises, especially for women. They help to work those muscles that are Everyday life are practically not involved in any way, due to which they improve health, prevent a number of problems and have a beneficial effect on sexual life. Kegel exercises with balls are especially popular. Kegel balls are vaginal exercise equipment used to increase the tone of the intimate muscles, to reduce the size of the vagina and reduce the likelihood of diseases of the genitourinary system. This simple simulator is unique in that it does not require special training to use, you can exercise with it at any time and anywhere, and the list of contraindications is minimal.

These intimate exercise machines are used to strengthen the muscles of the lower pelvic area, may vary depending on shape, weight, size, design. Vaginal balls are fastened together with a strong thread or fishing line. At the end there is a loop that remains outside during training and allows you to later remove the device from the vagina.

Balls are divided into three groups:

• Classic. The simplest models are designed for training intimate muscles and are not equipped with any additional functions.
• Vibrating. Help increase muscle tone and provide excellent prevention of gynecological diseases. They also help increase sexual desire and sensitivity of erogenous zones.
• Balls with a displaced center of gravity. They are hollow balls, and inside them there is a small heavy ball.

Kegel balls can be round or oval in shape. Each option is effective to some extent and can be used for training. The diameter of the circumference of the devices can be 1.5-4 cm, and the weight can be 30-150 grams. For beginners, it is recommended to use lightweight Kegel balls with a large diameter.

The following materials can be used to make Kegel balls:

• Hypoallergenic plastic, which does not provoke any allergic reactions.
• Metal. These balls are quite heavy and are recommended for use only by trained women.
• Silicone. This material is universal, light and comfortable, and can be used by all women.
• Stone. Jade or jadeite can be used to make balls. Such simulators must be used with extreme caution, since if chips appear, there is a risk of injuring the vaginal mucosa.

Also, vaginal balls may differ in surface texture. It can be smooth, ribbed, embossed, velvet. For beginners, it is better to choose ribbed or embossed devices, since it will be more difficult for untrained muscles to hold smooth balls.

Exercises with kegel balls for women: indications

Exercises with kegel balls will be useful for any woman who does not have gynecological diseases or other contraindications. If you have any doubts, it is better to first consult with a gynecologist. The use of exercise balls is especially useful in the following cases:

• When planning pregnancy to facilitate childbirth. The muscles of the perineum and pelvic floor take the main part in labor, so the ability to control muscle work will help facilitate and speed up delivery.
• If a woman after childbirth feels decreased tone and weakness of the vaginal muscles. Exercises will help restore lost elasticity and help eliminate sprains.
• For the treatment and prevention of urinary incontinence. This problem is relevant for many women after childbirth and during menopause.
• For the prevention of diseases of the pelvic organs. Thanks to the strengthening pelvic muscles local immunity improves, microflora improves, and the risk of a whole list of inflammatory diseases is significantly reduced.
• For painful periods and irregular menstrual cycles.
• In order to delay menopause and simplify the process of moving it.
• To prevent uterine prolapse.
• To improve the quality of sexual life, increasing the sensitivity of erogenous zones and enhancing libido.

Many obstetricians and gynecologists advise patients to use Kegel balls after childbirth, which helps prevent a number of negative consequences, including involuntary urination. Regular use of this simple exercise machine helps to improve both women's health and her intimate life.

Kegel balls: instructions for use

Let's figure out how to use Kegel balls. Before starting the workout, you need to feel the strength of your vaginal muscles. To do this, place your finger a couple of centimeters inside and contract the muscles, as happens when urinary retention. If you feel the muscles fully tense, it means they are sufficiently trained and you can use heavier balls. If the muscle response is weaker, a silicone trainer is selected. The principle of operation and use of balls is quite simple. Follow these instructions:

• Empty your bladder before exercising.
• There should be at least an hour between your last meal and exercise.
• The ball must be thoroughly treated with an antiseptic or kept in a weak solution of manganese for a couple of minutes. Then the balls need to be lubricated with a special intimate gel and placed inside the vagina.
• If you have just started doing exercises, it is better to do it in a lying position, since the muscles are not yet strengthened enough for gymnastics in a standing position. The loop should remain outside after insertion.
• You should not immediately go to the list of exercises for women with Kegel balls, since a number of them are intended for women who already have some experience in training intimate muscles. To begin with, it is important to try to find a work rhythm that is comfortable for you.
• Plastic or silicone balls come in single and double versions, and there is not much difference between them for training.
• It is recommended to start the lesson with two seconds of tension and relaxation. Increase this interval by a couple of seconds every day. The number of repetitions must be at least ten.
• An important component of such exercises is breathing. Do not hold it during the training process, breathe deeply, smoothly and measuredly.

Vaginal balls cannot be used during pregnancy and menstruation.

Pulling the balls out of the vagina is quite simple. If there is a loop, simply pull it. If we are talking about a single ball, it can be pushed out by muscle contraction abdominals or when coughing.

Kegel exercises with balls: description

Properly selected balls must be held in the vagina with a certain amount of force. Therefore, beginner women are recommended to use lightweight models. Regular fifteen-minute training can eventually be increased to holding balls for eight hours. Regular exercise will help you begin to feel your internal muscles and manage them. When you can confidently hold the machine with your muscles, You can use Kegel balls for women at home through the following exercises:

• Contract the vaginal muscles, trying to push the balls up and down. You can follow the technique using a loop that moves.
• Alternate relaxation and contraction of muscles, achieving the deepest position of the simulator.
• Use a pushing motion to move the product from the cervix to the vaginal opening area.
• Smoothly move the balls along the vaginal canal.
• Make sharp pushes until the exercise machine is completely out of the vagina.
• Place the exercise machine with two balls only half inside, while the second ball should remain outside. Pull it in, then push it out.
• Having mastered all the above exercises, complicate your task by hanging weights weighing up to 300 grams from a loop. But this can only be done when the muscles are already sufficiently trained.

The number of repetitions of the exercises is 10 times. But if at first it’s hard for you to repeat so many of them, reduce it to what’s optimal for you. It is recommended to repeat the exercises every day or at least three times a week. Women who have trained their intimate muscles well can easily rotate the balls inside the vagina, change their places, or even shoot them. This level of professionalism can only be achieved through regular intensive training.

In general, there is nothing complicated about how to use Kegel balls for beginners. But it is important that during the exercises only the vaginal muscles work. Do not tense your abdominal and buttock muscles - this will impair the effectiveness of the exercises.

Precautionary measures

You need to be careful when choosing balls. There are a huge number of different models that attract attention with bright colors, non-trivial shapes and designs. However, you need to understand which devices will be useful and which ones are best avoided. It is recommended to adhere to the following recommendations:

• It is not recommended to use prefabricated balls, which are made of plastic and consist of two hemispheres fastened together. In this case, microflora can instantly enter small cracks at the junctions of microspheres and provoke an infection. It is also very difficult to wash such balls properly, because the risk of inflammatory processes is very high.
• Balls on textile thread are suitable only for one-time use, since both the thread itself and its fastening can provoke the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. And it is extremely difficult to carry out high-quality disinfection of such a product.
• Relief surfaces and complex shapes prevent internal slipping, which makes exercise easier, so it is recommended for beginners to use such balls. Simple and smooth balls will be more effective, and they are also easier to disinfect.
• Metal balls are quite difficult to hold, so they are not recommended for beginners. Pay attention that the exercise machine is made specifically from stainless steel, and not just has a shiny coating that will peel off and oxidize over time. You can check the ball using a magnet - if it is magnetic, then it is not a fake.
• Jade eggs are most often made from jadeite, since real jade is very expensive. Jadeite has a porous structure and can become a breeding ground for infections. You cannot use stone eggs for a long time - in this case they can provoke the opposite effect and stretch the muscles.

Correctly selected and used Kegel balls will help achieve excellent results. We invite you to watch several videos about their use.

Exercises with Kegel balls on video

Wearable electronics, which allow a person to control their body and improve certain indicators, have stepped beyond “ethical” limits. Smart bikinis have now been announced, recently we wrote about the new project “Fitbit for you Penis”, the talk around the self-unfastening bra has long died down. And yet, smart gadgets continue to literally “penetrate” our lives and our bodies.

Today I want to “figure out” Kegel exercises with you, read and listen to doctors’ opinions about exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, and also determine the place for smart balls, exercise machines, cones: in the Medgadgets catalog, in a pharmacy, or on the SexShop shelf. "a.

Remember Kegel

Despite the fact that exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which are associated with the name of Arnold Kegel, can be equally recommended for both men and women, below I will say a few words about women’s problems, since we are still faced with a stereotypically “feminine” » gadget. For those who think this is unfair, I...

Arnold Kegel

Arnold Kegel, an American gynecologist, first described his set of exercises in 1948 and identified several problems that training would help to cope with. The main reason why at one time a set of exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles became so in demand: the opportunity conservative treatment urinary and fecal incontinence in women. Although surgical intervention is recognized today in a number of publications as the most effective, fastest, method (and sometimes the only possible), physical exercise have a number of additional advantages:

• Delicacy, or the ability to hide problems
• Time independent
• home furnishings

Kegel exercise scheme

In the above list, purely ethical principles and reluctance to make the problem public speak against the operation. Globally, the problem cannot be hidden, and according to various sources, the number of women regularly suffering from incontinence reaches 50%.

According to the classification, the most common types are:

• “Stress incontinence” - about half of the cases
• “Urge incontinence” - up to 20%
• And mixed type incontinence is ok. thirty %

Scientists are focusing on stress incontinence as the most widespread problem.

One of Keleg's simulators

Define stress incontinence as a type of incontinence provoked by any physical activity: coughing, laughing or exercising. Urgent incontinence is classified as urge incontinence.

At the same time, according to researchers and practitioners of non-surgical treatment of urinary incontinence, the risk in women increases in the postpartum period, as a result, the percentage of women with this problem can increase critically with age. Additional factors for stress incontinence include obesity, a tendency to bad habits, in particular smoking.

Body position when performing Kegel exercises

Along with other problems, this physical illness is widely discussed in psychology. The problem received greater publicity in the early 1990s, when the pages of medical psychology journals began to pay attention to how much incontinence could harm one’s personal life, career, business, etc.

Since the topic is multi-age, discussions have also poured into the pages of journals about Geriatrics, where it is emphasized that incontinence progresses with age, and this significantly worsens the quality of life, accompanied by mental disorders, complexes, and depression.

Vaginal cones

Today, exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles are recognized as basic method non-surgical “correction” of the situation, which can quickly and effectively, as they say, “fix the matter”! According to observations of the last ten years, in non-critical cases, that is, when women have mild or moderate stages of stress incontinence, a positive result is achieved in short time, and some doctors talk about “week - weeks”. However, as is the case with training any muscles, the wrong exercises can not only not improve the situation, but make it even worse.

Currently, there are also contrary statements that the set of exercises and its effect on the morphology of the pelvic floor muscles have not been studied closely enough, and the technique is resorted to as if “for lack of a better one.” Some researchers specify that the general positive influence Any correct training has an effect on the body as a whole, and in this case it doesn’t matter what to pump: biceps or pelvic floor muscles.

Despite doubts about the “fast-acting” set of Kegel exercises or their “archaic” nature, for the most part modern research both indirectly and directly confirms their effectiveness and, importantly, minimal risk possible complications at proper training.

There are also studies that prove that a set of exercises in the long term allows you to avoid surgery. Recently, emphasis has been placed on the fact that such measures are more economically beneficial for the patient than complex treatment in a hospital.

In any case, it should be understood that for all the “versatility” of non-surgical methods, they are not the only ones, and the human body is a little more complex than we would like, so when making certain decisions, it is better to consult a doctor.

To improve the effect, individualize the process, and also to obtain biofeedback, cones, vaginal balls, and exercise machines can be added to the set of exercises, some of which we consider below.

Among the advantages of using special vaginal simulators:

• Exercises are individual for each woman
• It takes less time to teach a woman how to use a machine
• It takes less time to start an exercise (insert)
• The number of consultations with a doctor is literally reduced to the 1st visit
• Exercise machines are a form of biofeedback
• The weight of balls or cones can be increased by increasing the load
• You can start using it without additional research

Vaginal cones and other paraphernalia themselves figure prominently, and this method is perhaps more closely evaluated than others. In particular, they are opposed to:

• "Cones - no cones"
• "Cones - Operation"
• "Cones - electrical stimulation"
• "Cones - injections"

In total, assistance in eliminating incontinence can be classified into three groups:

• Exercises
• Medication
• Surgery

Each of which can be caused by a number of factors, including the type of incontinence. Often exercises are absorbed, or can be combined with other treatment methods, such as medications. Also, in addition to exercise, you may need to change habits and the rhythm of life in general.

In addition to the problem of incontinence, muscle strengthening exercises can prevent prolapse, or drooping of the vaginal walls. Kegel himself gave a presentation where it was said that women using his set of exercises experienced orgasm easier, more often, better, more intensely, which is now confirmed by experts.

For some clarification, we turned to a gynecologist, and she talked to us Margarita Matosyan, obstetrician-gynecologist, City Hospital No. 56, KDO.

In particular, she explained that the problem “if not global, then large-scale, and it is more correct to hyperbolize it than to belittle it.”

As the main provoking factors, they confirmed to us that “problems can arise for a number of reasons, and among the most noticeable: the consequences of a difficult birth, excess weight, frequent inflammatory diseases."

Much less often, according to Margarita, patients are ready to talk about impaired sexual function, decreased desire, arousal, and pain.

- Can such disorders be eliminated with the help of exercises?

- Yes, most often the above is completely or partially eliminated through exercise in a number of cases. In my practice, I often encounter the problem of urinary incontinence in patients with a wide age range. When it is impossible to carry out surgical treatment for a number of reasons, I always recommend doing exercises, training muscles and installing gynecological pessaries (silicone intravaginal manipulators of different shapes and sizes for the symptomatic treatment of uterine prolapse and urinary incontinence of various etiologies, designed for independent use by the patient herself with minimal participation doctor).

Since each of the additional manipulators works on certain muscle groups and uses different mechanisms, it is necessary to have a certain range of, let’s say, “additional equipment” in your arsenal.

In older adults with severe symptoms and impairments, neither muscle training nor additional manipulators are suitable. Only pessary or surgical treatment.

In young adults, in the absence of severe disorders and the impossibility of surgical treatment, I always recommend starting to “train” on your own and gradually increasing the load.

You said that the doctor's involvement may be minimal. In general, is it necessary to inform the doctor that the patient is “exercising” or using additional “gadgets”?

- The doctor must certainly know about this and recommend it to the patient himself, if at the appointment he “sees” that such a problem exists or may develop in the patient. If you correctly explain how to train, where to start, what to pay attention to, and regularly monitor the dynamics, then the effect is quite noticeable (if we talk about urinary incontinence).

We understand that not everyone openly talks about their problems, and if statistics about 50% of violations are now mentioned, then how many more patients can suffer but remain silent? Is there any way a doctor can understand that a patient is experiencing difficulties without asking directly?

- To determine the degree of prolapse, complications, and sexual dysfunction, we use surveys, confidential dialogues, and testing. Chairside examination using the prolapse technique can also reveal abnormalities, as can the use of cones and vaginal balls.

- So it turns out that vaginal balls are quite an “authoritative” device?

- Yes, sure. Pelvic floor muscle trainers are widely used both in medical practice and in the sex toy industry, and at the same time, the prices speak in favor of the latter, since despite uncritical differences in sex stores, such devices are cheaper. For example, I always voice the fact that on professional sites such manipulators can cost more than in sex shops, since in such stores there is high competition, allowing the client to choose in terms of color, style, appearance, etc. In fact, if you choose it correctly, there is no noticeable difference.

- Do you work with such “devices” yourself, do you recommend them?

- As for me personally, yes, I am “in the know” and spent a lot of time studying this problem. To be honest, at one time I even tried to talk about the delicate popularization of such devices with the chief physician. However, not all gynecologists spend time on this, and patients solve the problem of choosing such gadgets on their own.

In general, how actively and often can a gynecologist send his patient not to a pharmacy, but to a sex shop? Is this correct? Have there been such cases and what category of goods could this be associated with?

- I recommend. In particular, I pay attention to cones (they can also be called vaginal weights), vaginal balls (they come in different forms, sizes, composition), exercise machines (Kegel exercise machines, pneumatic exercise machines), including the one you showed me.

- How would you characterize this particular device, “Gballs”?

- It was familiar to me professionally, since it is one of the latest developments. After studying it, I was left with very positive impressions, but this is a purely individual simulator, useful and necessary.

Well, in the finale, since I’m already a little confused in the terminology... There are balls, there are simulators, there are cones, there is something else, is it all about the same thing?

- The similarity is that when correct use everything goes well. But here, as in the gym: you need a specialist to determine the “level of source material” and select the right program, since after all, these manipulators work on different groups muscles and are trained differently. For example, vaginal balls are aimed at the ability to move objects vertically in the vagina (that is, at the ability to tense and relax different muscle groups without “losing” the object. Exercise machines help improve and “build up" muscle mass pelvic floor, and weights and cones are aimed at the force of compression of the vaginal muscles and holding an object in the vagina at different levels.

We got a device for testing that we had been arguing about within the team for a long time, but we still didn’t dare to create a separate card for it in the catalog and take it for sale. Yesterday my wife and I tested it, and I want to introduce you very briefly to the gadget.

Box

The gadget is sold in a box “for iPhone”, quite compact and visually informative.

There is a device inside, and the complete package includes:

• Two instructions (one in Russian)
• Charging cable
• Storage case

The interface is logically poor: an activation button that turns on the device, a reset and an indicator. When turned on, it lights up blue. Turns on and off by pressing for 3 seconds. As a toy, it can be used without software in constant vibration mode.

Considering the specifics of the device, which involves constant contact with moisture, the problem with moisture protection, in particular the charging holes, has been solved quite well. To connect the cable, the hole will have to be “pierced”, after which it will again be hermetically “closed”.

The gadget is made of good material, similar to the German Fun Factory, it feels like medical silicone. The manufacturer indicates the composition as “Safe silicone/ABS plastic.” The device is not separable. It is curious that the cord, according to the instructions, has an additional characteristic “Antenna”.

Characteristics

• Size: 31x82 mm
• Weight: 54 g
• Battery: 200 mAh
• Working time: 4 hours
• Vibration frequency: 7,200 rpm
• Waterproof 1P67 (protection against temporary immersion in water)

Colors: blue or pink.

Software

The gadget synchronizes with smartphones on IOS and Android using Bluetooth 4.0 and works in conjunction with the following applications:

You should look for "Magic Kegel". It is important that the applications are Russified: both text and voice!

Before you begin, you need to calibrate the device by selecting your parameters. In fact, the “For Men” functionality is temporarily unavailable.

“Modes” are not selected forever, and in the menu you can always change “basic” to “postpartum”, etc., on the other hand, “a quick examination showed” that the programs mainly differ in the intensity and duration of compressions, their number and rotation.

Each mode contains a short “addressing” and is divided into several stages. During the process, a “virtual coach” works with you, who tells you by voice what and how to do and to what extent.

Total for this moment 6 modes for training, and so as not to miss exercises, you can set reminders.

Also, each type of training has its own statistics and its own “tree” (just below). Statistics can be viewed for the day, week, month and year.

Also, in the circles you see some parameters by which the training is evaluated. In fact, the simulator evaluates the degree of compression, which makes it similar to the instrument of Arnold Kegel himself, and with some reservations it is a “household electromyograph”. During the exercises, the degree of compression is shown on the “stripe” to the left of the girl-coach or the height of the bird’s jump.

I mentioned the tree just above, and I want to add that the application has “developed” motivating functions. After successfully completing the exercise, you are given a seed to plant. The tree will grow with every workout you do.

This process of “gamification” and motivation is familiar to me from Striiv, which also has a built-in game that encourages action. There is also a Fun section in the menu, where you can have fun playing with different modes, the vibration diagram of which is shown in the screenshot.

To look at the device from a different perspective, as a “smart toy,” I decided to consult with a person whose business is the sale of intimate goods, and he responded to my request