Pelvic Floor Exercises and Toning Balls
Pelvic Floor Exercises and Toning Balls
You might not know much or maybe nothing at all about your pelvic floor but we can help you with that. The pelvic floor is made up of muscles that support important organs such as the uterus, rectum, vagina and bladder. Pelvic floor exercises (called Kegel exercises), are done to strengthen these muscles which can be strained during giving birth and with other medical conditions. Medical issues such as prolapse and incontinence can benefit from a Kegel exercise program.
To increase the opportunity of seeing results faster, toning balls, which are comprised of small weights, are used along with pelvic floor exercises.
Pelvic Floor Issues that Can Result After Childbirth
The most common pelvic floor issues that arise after giving birth vaginally are pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. Pelvic organ prolapse is when one or more of the organs in the pelvis move from their normal position and push into the vagina. This is not life threatening but it is uncomfortable and can be painful. You should know prolapse may not occur until years after birth and can cause numerous issues including sexual disfunction.
Stress urinary incontinence is when you can’t hold your urine. Why it happens is because the supportive pelvic muscles, tissue and even nerves can weaken during pregnancy and are strained while giving birth vaginally. Some estimates have as many as 35% of new mothers with some urinary incontinence following childbirth and 20% have severe pelvic floor injuries after a normal pregnancy and birth. But most women get the strength back in their pelvic floor muscles within two months. This is why pelvic floor exercises are so important, they are muscles that needs work just like any other muscle in your body!
How to do Kegel Exercises
The Mayo Clinic explains how to do Kegel Exercises:
“Find the right muscles. To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream. Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles you can do the exercises in any position, although you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first.
To do Kegels, imagine you are sitting on a marble and tighten your pelvic muscles as if you’re lifting the marble. Try it for three seconds at a time, then relax for a count of three. For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles and try to do a full relax of the muscles. The relaxation is just as important as the contraction. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.
Repeat three times a day. Aim for at least three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions a day.
Don’t make a habit of using Kegel exercises to start and stop your urine stream. Doing Kegel exercises while emptying your bladder can actually lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder — which increases the risk of a urinary tract infection.”
Using the Fleur Pelvic Toning Balls for Better Results
So now you know how to do your Kegel’s – it is time to add the Fleur Toning Balls to take it to the next level. The weights are often useful to help beginners better identify their pelvic floor muscles. Because you can’t see your pelvic floor muscles move, it can be hard to focus properly and the weights can help you improve your body awareness.
When the weights are inserted properly, your pelvic floor muscles will activate naturally through normal body movement. Sometimes gravity and normal movement might make the weight begin to slip out, if so, engage your pelvic floor muscles to keep the weight inside. The more you engage these muscles, the stronger they get! Your results will depend on the extent of the damage to the muscles and how old the injury is.
How to insert the Fleur Toning Balls
The first thing you should know about inserting toning balls is that you should wash both your hands and the toning balls with warm water and antibacterial soap. Then dry them off. What can really help with inserting them is to use a good amount of water-based lubricant, and try to stay relaxed
The easiest way to insert them is to lie down comfortably with your legs open. Take the lube and apply as much as you need to the opening of your vagina. Slowly insert the first ball and push them both as far as you are comfortable with. It’s okay if it takes you a few tries before you can insert them confidently. The string section at the end should remain outside the body.
They should feel comfortable and secure. If it feels like they’re about to fall out, they need to be pushed further into the vagina. Most people report feeling a slight tingly sensation which is more noticeable when moving. The TensCare Fleur Toning Balls are made of medical grade, phthalates-free, silicone. Their sleek shape measure 33mm in diameter and 180mm long, with the perfect weight of 75 grams.
The proper use of toning balls involves using them for short periods of time. Using them for too long can have the opposite effect you’re looking for with the weakening of the pelvic floor muscles.
And remember, always consult your doctor before using toning balls during pregnancy.
There are a few places you can easily get your own set of Fleur Pelvic Floor Toning Balls
