Kegel Exercises for Male Incontinence

Kegels Are For Men, Too

Kegels exercises are simple yet highly effective. Originally developed to help women prepare for childbirth, Kegel exercises are equally effective in helping males treat urinary incontinence and control ejaculation. Kegel exercises work to strengthen pelvic floor muscles, which help support bladder control. Kegel exercises may especially be effective in treating incontinence when paired with bladder training. Always consult with your health care provider before attempting any exercise routine, even before doing simple exercises like Kegels.

Find the Right Muscles

Kegels are effective only if you exercise the right muscles--your pelvic floor muscles. But first, you have to find exactly where these muscles are. Act like you're trying to prevent yourself from passing gas and squeeze the muscles you'd use. You should feel a pulling feeling. These muscles that are "pulling" are your pelvic floor muscles. Kegel exercises will mimic this sensation. Alternatively you can try to stop your stream in the middle of urinating. These muscles you just tightened are your pelvic floor muscles.

Practice Basic Kegels

First start by doing basic Kegels, eventually working your way up to the more advanced exercises. Pull in the pelvic floor muscles and hold for 3 seconds. Then release for 3 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions every day. Start by doing them while lying down and, when you're ready, progress to sitting or standing positions. Lying down makes it easier because you're not working against gravity. Make sure you're tightening only your pelvic floor muscles--not your buttocks or legs. Also make sure you aren't holding your breath. Breathe normally. The hardest part about doing Kegels is remembering to do them. It may help to establish a routine. Do them on your commute to and from work when stopped at a traffic light.

Build Your Strength

After you feeling comfortable holding Kegels and resting for 3 seconds, extend it to 4 seconds, then 5, 6 and so on to the point where you can hold and release for 10 seconds. Aim to do Kegels for 5 minutes a day, 3 times a day. Try some variations, like holding and releasing rapidly or holding and releasing for as long as you comfortably can. Of course, make sure you're not overdoing it. Never do Kegels if you feel pain or discomfort because you could end up aggravating the problem you're trying to treat. It make take 3 to 6 weeks of consistently doing Kegels before you notice any improvement with bladder control.

References

• National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse