2 Mistakes A Urogynecologist Says Can Secretly Mess With Your Pelvic Floor Health

Below, Greenleaf shares two key mistakes to avoid when it comes to Kegels and what to do instead.

According to Greenleaf, it's important not to strain your muscles while doing Kegels: "A lot of people end up bearing down, like they're trying to have a bowel movement, and they think that's what that motion is to tighten the floor, when that's the opposite. You don't want to be bearing down or straining because that could put more stress on the pelvic floor."

Another common mistake, says Greenleaf, is performing Kegels over the toilet. "Specifically with women, there's this misconception that Kegels are done while you're urinating. A lot of women will be like, Oh, I'm doing my Kegels. I pee, and then I try to hold it in. That is not the way to do it," she explains. That's a surefire way to identify the correct muscles to use, she adds, "but what happens is the bladder itself is a muscle, and if the bladder is pushing and you're tightening up your pelvic muscles, the urine is going to go where the least amount of pressure is—and if that's not out of your body, [it] can be back up to the kidneys."

So, how do you ensure you're doing Kegels in a way that actually strengthens (not strains) the pelvic floor? Greenleaf suggests tightening the pelvic muscles for a count of 10. Imagine you're trying to hold in gas, urine, or a bowel movement, and isolate those muscles as you tighten, then relax. She also recommends a seated exercise to help strengthen those pelvic muscles: "Just sit in a chair, take a pillow or a ball, put it between your knees, and squeeze it together. That will also work those pelvic floor muscles; it's easy, simple, and something that you can do at home."

Consider incorporating Greenleaf's tips in order to do Kegels effectively. Again, holding in urine while on the toilet can be a helpful way to initially identify which muscles to engage, but it's important to attempt the exercises above each time after that. Along with proper Kegel exercises, restoring collagen through supplementation might also aid pelvic support and strength over time.*