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Squeeze Before you Sneeze

Posted 13th January 2009 by Lindsay Brin, tagged kegel lindsay brin moms into fitness

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How do I deal with urinary incontinence?

 

One in three women experience urinary incontinence when exercising.  53% experience it after their 1st pregnancy.  And 85% experience it after subsequent pregnancies.  There are two ways to help urinary incontinence before considering surgery: bladder training and pelvic floor exercises.  I am going to cover the kegel exercise and “squeeze before you sneeze” to help with urinary incontinence.

How to Perform the Kegel

From a lying or sitting position imagine you are cutting off the flow of urine.  Hold this contraction for 10 seconds.  Repeat.  Remember not to contract the abs, buttocks or thigh muscles.  If you are having trouble try to perform this exercise during your next visit to the restroom.  Stop the flow of urine halfway, hold for 10 seconds, then continue.

 

Pelvic Floor Development

Squeeze before you Sneeze

If you are about to cough, sneeze or strain it is important to pull your pelvic floor muscles up and in.  Brace your muscles before sneezing and you should prevent leakage. Your Pelvic Floor Muscles act as a sling from the pubic bone to tailbone.  Pregnancy, childbirth and decreasing estrogen weaken these muscles.  BUT these muscle fibers can be trained! The Female Anatomy diagram below shows pelvic floor muscles and how they can effect bladder control. Like any muscle group, you have to specifically target these muscles. You wouldn’t swim to train for a marathon right?  So let’s find the correct muscles to train.

            The Kegel exercise above is the best way to identify and isolate those muscles. Remember that in order to strengthen any muscle you have to overload it—that means that you have to work it beyond the point of its previous condition. Doing multiple sets of Kegel exercises  while you are driving, sitting and watching television, eating, etc. can do wonders to help you maintain control of your bladder.





4 comments so far...

  • Haha! Usually it's the little kids that like my DVD-the first time I've heard a husband liking it. Whenever I do the DVD myself my husband has to mute it cause he thinks I talk too much (not in the DVD but in general he needs some peace from me!)

    I'm glad you like the DVD...it's Moms Into Fitness and you can see some of the video clips on the mummy tummy on youtube. Just look up Moms Into Fitness!

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Lindsay Brin on 6th February 2009

  • Thank you; I will! And BTW (and I hope this isn't inappropriate to post such comments here), but I love your DVD! For those who are curious as to which one, I'm sorry! I don't remember the title, but it's for the mummy tummy, and I've been slowly incorporating those exercises into my routine. Lindsay, your thorough explanations are AWE-SOME. And this will give you a chuckle, but even my husband likes when I put the DVD on b/c he appreciates a tone body. !!! :-) !!! - Paula.

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by tkd_mama on 19th January 2009

  • You can actually do butt kegels! But what you are doing is the most common thing I see. So try this. Lie on your back with your feet and calves on a couch, bent at the crook of the knees. Completely relax your lower body, and spread your legs a foot apart if necessary. Try a kegel. If you still squeeze your butt take a few deep breathes--flex your buttocks--relax your buttocks and try again.

    Do this until you have the kegel under control. Then try the kegel sitting.

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Lindsay Brin on 15th January 2009

  • Bless you for writing about this, Lindsay!! I'm 43 and as I move through my forties, I have definitely noticed the leakage at the usual times: sneezing, exercising, etc. What always confused me about Kegels was the point about not contracting the buttocks. When I try to do Kegels, I notice the muscles right around the anus contracting as well. I've tried to isolate them out, but I can't seem to. But maybe you can answer: is the contraction of the anus muscles to be expected, or am I still doing them wrong? TY!!!! - Paula.

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by tkd_mama on 14th January 2009

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