Performing pelvic floor muscle (Kegel) exercises will help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles by teaching you to isolate and contract these muscles.

Pelvic floor exercises can help prevent:

• Progression of vaginal prolapse
• Recurrent prolapse after surgical repair
• Bladder incontinence
• Fecal incontinence

Your pelvic floor muscle function will be assessed during your vaginal examination and you will be taught how to strengthen and how to use these muscles when incontinence threatens.

If, during your evaluation, your doctors identify extremely weak muscles or see that you can not identify the muscles well, they will have you see a physical therapist, who will be your "personal trainer."

The initial consultation with the physical therapist is usually one hour. Based on the progress made with home exercises, further biofeedback sessions may be needed.

Duke has focused Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation clinics for those who need biofeedback techniques, which will help you locate and isolate the pelvic floor muscles for maximal benefit.

About pelvic muscle (Kegel) exercises

• The pelvic floor muscles are the muscles you use to stop urine flow during voiding, and you can identify them by practicing stopping the flow during voiding. Many patients mistakenly contract their buttock or abdominal muscles, believing that they are doing the exercise correctly.
• You should feel your vagina tighten.
• These exercises are best performed lying in bed. As you become better at recognizing the muscles then you can perform the exercises while talking on the phone, watching TV, cooking, etc.
• The exercises should be done in sets of 10, two times a day and each muscle contraction should be held for three to five seconds. Like any muscle in the body, "if you don't use it you will lose it."
• Aids for pelvic floor exercises include the use of vaginal cones and other appliances