What type of workouts really help fight incontinence? (excercise pt. 2)
MORE TIPS ON BATTLING AGAINST INCONTINENCE
An “overactive bladder” (OAB) can be very inconvenient. It’s very uncomfortable at times and it sends you searching for the bathroom more often than you’d like. It can interrupt your favorite & fun activities.
But what if a few simple exercises could help you overcome your OAB symptoms? In our previous blog post we covered “Kegel Excercises”, if you need the important links please see the post on this blog site. See below for other options including more excercises.
Use of “Vaginal Cones”:
Vaginal cones http://www.nationalincontinence.com/pc/PMSF/KegelExercisers/StepFree+Vaginal+Cones act as a weight-training tool for your pelvic floor muscles.
To start, place a cone inside your vagina. Use your pelvic floor muscles to lift it. After you can hold lighter cones without discomfort, you can train your muscles to lift heavier cones. Your pelvic floor muscles will strengthen throughout this process.
Doing “Pelvic Floor Excercises”:
Pelvic floor muscle exercises are performed by drawing in or lifting up the levator ani muscles https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/levator-ani . This movement is done normally to control urination or defecation. Individuals should avoid contracting the abdominal, buttock, or inner thigh muscles. The following techniques can be used to learn how to squeeze these muscles: (1) trying to stop the flow of urine while in the middle of going to the bathroom; (2) squeezing the anal sphincter https://www.britannica.com/science/external-anal-sphincter as if to prevent passing gas; and (3) tightening the muscles around the vagina (for example, as during sexual intercourse).
For treatment of stress incontinence, beginners should perform the squeezing exercise five times, holding each squeeze for a count of five (a person may have to start with a count of two or three). This should be done one time every hour while awake. These exercises can be performed while driving, reading, or watching television. After practice, a person may be able to hold each contraction for at least 10 seconds, and then relax for 10 seconds. The pelvic floor exercises must be performed every day for at least three to four months to be effective. If an individual does not notice an improvement after four to six months, he or she may need additional help, such as electrical stimulation.
A person should be sure that he or she is not contracting their abdominal muscles when performing these drills. This can worsen urinary incontinence.
(Ask your Doctor)
Electrical stimulation may also help you gain control of your bladder.
In this treatment, a temporary wire or implanted electrode is used to deliver electrical impulses to your bladder. These signals cause your bladder muscles to contract, which can help strengthen the muscles over time.
More links to check out:
