Kegel are Medicine
As a healthcare provider I am
always learning from leading physiotherapists in women’s health. I was watching
a Facebook video by Isa Herrera, a physiotherapist form the United States and
she was answering a question about Kegels and she something that really got me
thinking, “Kegels are Medicine.”
Kegels are medicine. They work,
when you do them as prescribed. Did you know there are over 20 different types
of kegel exercises? Just doing one type of Kegel may not be right for you. It’s
about finding the right Kegel and then prioritizing to do them.
Just like when the doctor
prescribes you antibiotics for an infection and says to take it 3 times a day
with food. Most people make it a priority to remember to take them as
prescribed and they work.
Exercise is medicine, but perhaps
we don’t view it that way because it’s not a pill that we take. We all live
busy lives and it can be very challenging to change and re-prioritize
ourselves. I have found that the client’s who get better are the ones that make
a commitment to their health and well-being. You cannot expect to do a Kegel
here and there and get better.
Exercise requires a connection of
mind and body. The therapist is the guide, but you have to become the Master
through practice. If you are just going through the motions to say, I did it.
You may be missing out on some important information your body is trying to
tell you and you can risk injuring yourself when you are not closely paying
attention.
Practicing your Kegels is also about
patience, you don’t just take one antibiotic and you’re done. You have to take
many before it starts to work. Sometimes, an antibiotic that works for one
person doesn’t work for the other and modifications need to be made to the
exercise program. How will you know if it’s working, if you haven’t given the
exercise a dedicated effort? There is no cookie cutter approach and the same is
true for doctors. It’s an interaction between you, the therapist and
tools/techniques.
In her latest book, Female Pelvic
Alchemy, Isa the author actually has a page where you sign to make the
commitment and she outlines the 10 factors that are needed for optimizing
treatment.
A lot of what she lists is mindset.
If we begin to view exercise as medicine and do it as prescribed, make it a
priority, then massive positive benefits are possible. You can take back your
life, take back control of your bladder, get back to activities you love,
super-charge your sex life and love yourself more than you did before. Caring
for your self is an act of self-love.
So my challenge to you is, if you
have been prescribed Kegels by a trained professional, make the commitment and
try to take your “medicine” and let’s see what type of magic can happen.
The Pelvic Health Lady