Kegel Exercises: Am I doing them correctly?

Posted by tango32652 @tango32652, Jan 14 3:24pm

Would like some advice on kegels. I started doing some kegels several weeks before my RP in mid-December, and then resumed them when catheter was removed about two weeks ago. I'm experiencing quite a bit of leaking during the day and getting up around 5 or 6 times at night so that has also been a bit tough. Perhaps my age is a factor (72). So, just to clarify, I am only two weeks past catheter removal so still pretty early on. I am told regaining continence can take months, so the kegels sounded like a really good idea if it would help. I do about 100 of them a day, and was given a program by one of the pelvic floor experts at Mayo. She showed me how to do these and I THINK I'm still doing them right, but they don't seem to be helping any. When I do them, I can see my penis rise very slightly, and as she explained it's also like trying to hold back gas or stopping your urine stream. I can do all that, but I can't isolate these actions using three separate pelvic floor muscles, if that makes any sense, I can't do each of these in isolation. One movement has all three effects. From everything I see and read, that is good. But so far, I'm not seeing much benefit.
Am I doing these correctly, and how long does it usually take before you start seeing a bit of relief with the leakage?

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trusam1 | @trusam1 | Jan 16 9:04am

The two pieces of advice I found most helpful when doing Kegel's:

"Nuts to guts" Imagine trying to pull your scrotal sack up into your lower abdomen without moving anything else, specifically without squeezing your anus closed.

Long reps/short reps...Do ten reps at a mild to moderate intensity holding each for a count of ten. Then do 10 reps as fast and hard as possible...try doing ten in ten seconds (or better),

My own experience at age 74 (surgery last year April 4) was lots of incontinence the first month, decreasing the second, and pretty much gone after 4. I stopped doing Kegel's 3 months ago with no return of incontinence. I wear the thinnest pad (#1) to catch the minimal post void drip which I sometimes can't squeeze out.

tlbnova | @tlbnova | Jan 16 9:35am

You are doing them correctly. I'm 67 and in April, it will be 2 years post surgery and my leakage is almost gone. My doctor said improvement can continue 18 - 24 months post surgery. Continue the exercises and have patience. It will get better.

spino | @spino | Jan 16 11:29am

As with many other things, like prayer, taking vitamins, emergentC for colds, and a beer (or an apple) a day, it is very difficult to tell whether it is the kegels that make a difference. There are even a few voices saying that too many can make it worse (by introducing chronic tension in the pelvic floor muscles, such that they can't respond flexibly?) The bottom line is that results vary. I had great results with continence, with only minimal leakage for the first weeks--I still have a large box of diapers to show for it. (Please don't curse me!) ED--now that's been my bain. Oh well. And yes, I saw the PT before surgery, as well as after.
The other related side effect I've had is chronic pain in the pelvic floor. Less noticeable now, as I approach two years, but very frustrating for many months. Did that mean I had/have too much tension in the pelvic floor muscles? I wonder, but again, like prayer, I don't know. I do try to keep doing what I know to be good and not losing heart, and yes, that includes prayer--but not a beer and a cigar every day in my case.

dmccarthy104 | @dmccarthy104 | Jan 17 8:22am

In reply to @tango32652 "What is DPT? PT?" + (show)

DPT is a Dr of Physical Therapy.

dmccarthy104 | @dmccarthy104 | Jan 17 8:24am

In reply to @spino "As with many other things, like prayer, taking vitamins, emergentC for colds, and a beer (or..." + (show)

Agree, the days of beer are over for me. Alcohol, citrus, caffeine, carbonated beverages are all off the list per my PT and urologist. These can cause bladder spasms.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 17 10:09am

@tango32652 and everyone, you may also be interested in these related and helpful discussions:
- Best Kegel App?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/best-kegel-app/
- Do those Kegels!
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/do-those-kegels/
- Incontinence Improvement with Pelvic PT?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/disappoints-incontinence-improvement-with-pelvic-pt/
.
Tango, have you requested a "tune up" visit with the pelvic floor expert at Mayo Clinic? I often find it helpful to get a corrective visit with my physiotherapist to make sure I'm doing assigned exercises properly and haven't introduced incorrect movements along the way.

gkm | @gkm | Jan 17 7:49pm

In reply to @dmccarthy104 "Consider a visit to a Pelvic Floor PT practice. It's been helpful for me. Also know..." + (show)

A number of us in British Columbia where we are currently experiencing unusually cold temperatures are finding that we are suffering with a bit more leakage; something that is not included in the list of irritants to avoid when you have incontinence issues.