Why Kegel exercises matter

Many factors can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, including:

• Pregnancy.
• Childbirth.
• Surgery.
• Aging.
• Too much straining from constipation or lots of coughing.
• Being overweight.

You might benefit from doing Kegel exercises if you:

• Leak a few drops of urine while sneezing, laughing or coughing. This is known as stress incontinence.
• Leak urine after having a strong, sudden urge to urinate. This is called urge incontinence.
• Leak stool, also known as fecal incontinence.

Kegels are less helpful for people who leak lots of urine when they sneeze, cough or laugh. Also, Kegel exercises are less helpful for people who suddenly leak small amounts of urine due to a full bladder. This is called overflow incontinence.

Kegel exercises also can be done during pregnancy or after childbirth to help ease or prevent incontinence symptoms.

Before you start doing Kegels, ask your healthcare professional if these exercises are right for you.