Have you heard that you can tell if you’re doing a Kegel (Pelvic floor muscle contraction) correctly if you stop the flow of urine while on the toilet? While this may be a valid way to get an idea of how well those muscles work, this can override the body’s natural signals for normal urine flow. If you do it enough times, you can create more issues down the road.
Why? Well…the pelvic floor muscles need to be able to fully relax in order to have normal bowel and bladder function. If you’re constantly over riding that signal to the brain and muscle and body to relax, then it can create pelvic floor muscle issues.
So, how do you know if you’re doing your pelvic floor muscle contract well?
One way is to sit on a rounded surface, a rolled up towel, pillow, or stability ball and take a deep breath, feel you pelvic floor drop and elongate into the surface you’re sitting on and then breathe out and feel the pelvic floor muscles draw up and in.
Not quite sure what you’re feeling or if you’re feeling your muscles work at all? Try a different position. (Laying down, on all fours, in standing). Still not sure? Send us a message and we can help. You’re not alone, an estimated 30% of people cannot do this contraction correctly without some guidance.
Have you been told to stop the flow of urine to make sure your muscles are working? ?♀️ I know I have. I’m curious, what have you been told?