Are reverse kegel exercises good for you? Many people have been doing standard kegel exercises for years, without any resolution of symptoms. EG: Painful sex, bladder problems, constipation etc.
Most healthcare professionals will always be adament that you must keep doing standard kegels anyway.
The reason is because, you may not actually have weak pelvic floor muscles, but may have tight pelvic floor muscles.
Chronic pelvic tension (tightness) can be a big problem for both men, and women with pelvic floor dysfunction, and often result in bladder and sexual health issues.
On my journey of living with vaginismus (tight vaginal muscles), I was lead to believe that I should be doing standard kegel exercises (also known as pelvic floor exercises) to strengthen my pelvic floor muscles.
So I was doing kegel exercises for a few months (while being on a waiting list to see a pelvic floor physiotherapist), and it did not loosen my vaginal muscles at all.
Not long before my appointment time arrived to see the pelvic floor physiotherapist, I came across reverse kegel exercises.
Within a week of doing these, it didn’t reverse my tight vaginal area totally, but it did help to noticeably relax this area.
When I did finally get to see my pelvic floor specialist she did recommend standard kegel exercises, but was happy for me to also do the reverse kegel exercises, as they had benefited me.
We agreed that I would do the reverse kegel exercises more often.
If you have vaginismus, you may want to try reverse kegel exercises to see if this helps you, but as always, consult your healthcare professional before doing any knew form of exercise.
WHAT IS A REVERSE KEGEL?
When you do a standard kegel you clench (contract/tighten) your pelvic floor muscles, then release them.
A reverse kegel is basically the opposite to the standard kegel.
Instead of clenching (tightening) your pelvic floor muscles, the focus is on relaxing them (without clenching).
Please NOTE: If you have pelvic floor prolapse (also known as pelvic organ prolapse), reverse kegels are NOT recommended by healthcare professionals.
HOW TO DO A REVERSE KEGEL
The video below is by Pelvic Floor Specialist Dr Bri. This video focuses on the breathing and visualization of your pelvic floor muscles.
If you have limited movement (posture problems), Dr Bri demonstrates various ways you can sit, or lay down for this reverse kegel exercise.
Make sure your bladder is empty before starting the reverse kegel (pelvic floor release) exercises.
Do NOT go past the point of strain.
Don’t fret if you cannot do these on your first attempt. The more you do it, the sooner this technique will come to you.
Just a few minutes a day of practice can make a huge difference.
End Note: You need to be able to release the pelvic floor muscles, to have pain free sex, to empty your bladder properly, to have a bowel movement, and to give birth.
As time goes by I will add more exercises for tight pelvic floor muscles. You can view them in the Pelvic Floor Relaxation Section.
Article brought to you by Ms Tight
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“(DISCLAIMER: I am not a health care professional, the information in this article is based on my own personal experience of living with vaginismus, vaginal atrophy (including menopause issues), and what I have learned along the way. Some articles on this website will include other womanly issues that I feel women need to know about. If you have any concerns about your health, it is best for you to seek advice from a health care professional – Full disclaimer)“.
