The Kegel8® Guide to Keeping Your Strong for Life

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It’s time to start your journey to better pelvic health – you’ll be reaping all the benefits of a strong pelvic floor in no time.

Contents

The top 4 things you need to do now to strengthen your pelvic floor 2 Prolapse: What it is, what causes it, and how to manage yours 5 Top Tips to avoid those little leaks 9 What is Urge Incontinence? 10 How to manually measure your squeeze 12 Tips on manual exercise 13 Improving your sex life 16 Best sex positions if you have a prolapse 17 Vaginal dryness and atrophy 19

1 The Top 4 Things You Need to Do Now to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

You’ve probably heard of Kegel exercises, you may have even had a go at them yourself, but are they a regular feature in your fitness regime? If you’ve tried exercising your pelvic floor and still experience little leaks, or maybe you tried once and just forgot all about them, it’s time to enhance your exercises...

2 50% 1. Begin with of women perform a pelvic floor contraction wrong, which can actually cause damage to the the Basics pelvic floor!

Before you enhance your pelvic floor exercises, you’ve first got to nail the technique. 50% of women perform a pelvic floor contraction wrong. So let’s make sure you know exactly how to exercise your pelvic floor before moving onto the more advanced stuff. How to exercise your pelvic floor: Pelvic Floor 1. Sit, stand, or lie with your knees slightly apart Muscle 2. Slowly tighten your pelvic floor muscles, starting at your anus (as if you’re holding in wind) and then tighten around your 3. Squeeze these areas and lift as high as you can to perform a pelvic floor contraction 2. Try Resistance If basic pelvic floor exercise is either not working or not challenging enough for you, we recommend trying Kegel weights. Much like with regular workouts, using weights helps to improve strength and measure progress. It might also be especially helpful if you’re struggling with bladder issues. Weighted vaginal exercise balls show an over 70% success rate with in clinical trials when used for 12 weeks!

3 3. Make it a Routine 10 - 10 - 3 Try using the 10 - 10 - 3 method as way of incorporating pelvic floor exercise into your daily routine. 1. Perform a 10 second slow Kegel: squeeze and lift the muscles around your anus and vagina 2. Perform 10 fast Kegels: Squeeze and lift quickly for 2 seconds and then fully relax. The relaxation part is important! 3. Repeat 3 times a day. Repetition So easy, you can do it while and persistence are key! waiting at traffic lights!

4. Bring in Backup If you’ve tried all of the above and still You can either use a don’t seem to be making any progress, probe, which is inserted it might be time to try Neuromuscular a few centimetres Electronic Stimulation (NMES). internally and delivers NMES uses painless electronic currents the NMES directly to the to exercise your pelvic floor for you. pelvic floor muscles, NMES works to treat a broad spectrum or electrode pads on of pelvic floor issues, from bladder your skin to stimulate weakness and over active bladder, to the nerves that are prolapse, to intimate sensation. connected to your pelvic floor muscles.

4 Top Tips to avoid those little leaks Rushing to the toilet when your bladder is threatening to spill is bad enough. But what happens when your bladder just can’t hold on any longer? If you’ve experienced this urge and the resulting spillage then you’re not alone! 1 in 10 people are affected by and urge incontinence.

When you feel the urge, how do you stop it? Or how can you make the urges less frequent? Don’t worry, there are a variety of practical methods of prevention available to help fight back against urge incontinence. Here are Kegel8®’s top tips to stop urge incontinence.

1. Kegel! Pelvic floor exercises 3. Distract yourself Try to focus your are essential, and the first-line attention on something other than your treatment for tackling incontinence. bladder. Yes, it’s easier said than done, Exercising your pelvic floor muscles but it could help to reduce the urgency. can strengthen the pelvic floor and 4. Clench Crossing your legs or reduce your risk of incontinence clenching your fists can help to delay and . your bladder. 2. Tiptoe When you have the urge 5. Toughen up Apply pressure to the to go, try standing on your tiptoes pelvic floor by sitting on something to reduce pressure on the pelvic hard, such as the corner of a table. floor muscles.

5 ...What is Urge Incontinence?

Urge incontinence is the loss of urine associated with the sudden and strong impulse to urinate that cannot be delayed. For people with normal bladder function, the bladder muscles remain relaxed as the bladder slowly fills up. As the bladder gradually grows, and stretches, we get a feeling of wanting to pass urine when the bladder is around half full. Most people are able to hold on after they get this feeling until they find a convenient time to go to the toilet. However, if you are suffering from urge incontinence, the bladder may feel fuller than it is. As a result of this, the bladder contracts early when it’s not very full. This can make you “I was mortified when I started to have suddenly need the toilet and problems with urge incontinence, so I perhaps even leak urine before turned to Google. The Kegel8 got great you get there. reviews so I decided to give it a try. After 4 weeks If you suffer from urge of use, I can notice real changes. I suddenly incontinence, you may also realised at work I’d not been to the loo for 4 hours find that you have the need to and no longer leaking urine at all. If you have bladder weakness problems, give this a go. I wish frequently pass urine during the I’d got this years ago!” night, and wake to do so – this Tami, Kegel8® Ultra 20 Customer is a condition called nocturia.

6 What causes Urge Incontinence?

There are a variety of factors that contribute to the development of urge incontinence. Some of these include: Overactive bladder Having an overactive bladder causes a sudden urge to urinate. This impulse can be difficult to prevent, and it often leads to involuntary urge incontinence. Constipation If you suffer from constipation, you often force stress upon your pelvic floor muscles when straining to go to the toilet. This stress can weaken the pelvic floor as a result, meaning you can lose control over your bladder and bowel. Excess weight If you become overweight, more stress is placed on your pelvic floor muscles. This continual, heavy load can weaken the muscles and you are more likely to suffer from incontinence as a result. Studies have found that reducing your weight by just 10% can reduce your incontinence by half! Caffeine, alcohol and fizzy drinks These types of drinks are bladder irritants and can make overactive bladder symptoms even worse.

7 How can you improve Your Sex Life?

There are 101 ways by which you can increase excitement in the bedroom, ranging from natural solutions to electronic treatments. Kegel8® have compiled a list of our top picks for improving your sex life when suffering from pelvic problems:

Communication ! As we age, we often Talk it out Kegel is key when it comes to satisfying sex. think it’s inevitable that our vagina Let your partner know which positions will lose all its suppleness that it aren’t working for you, and which once had in youth and impact on positions really get you going. our sexual lives. But this is a myth! There are things that you can do to improve the situation. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles is a Adapt and achieve guaranteed way to reinvigorate your The Kamasutra isn’t set in stone. sex life; a stronger pelvic floor can Move around when you are trying out increase the sensation for both you different positions, you never know and your partner. which angle will bring you the most comfort and pleasure.

Lube up Using a body-friendly, What if you still experience pain water based lubricant sometimes during sex? becomes essential as we grow older. It’s very important for you to be But don’t feel like you have lost a careful in the bedroom. Bursts of part of your allure if you need to buy excitement may seem sensual at some; if anything, you’re preserving first, but they could easily worsen your sex life. Try a lubricant such as any pelvic problem if not performed the Kegel8® KE Gel that is hormone with care. free and body friendly. Don’t ignore your pain signals if they persist, visit your GP for further diagnosis and treatment.

8 Best Sex Positions for Prolapse Sufferers

A pelvic organ prolapse can Do not fear, this doesn’t mean you stop you from embracing your need to dig a grave for your sex life! ® sexuality and can cause a heavy The team at Kegel8 have compiled a comprehensive list of the most strain on intimate relationships. comfortable and exciting sex positions The sexual positions that you for those with a pelvic organ prolapse. choose can actually worsen the What is a pelvic organ prolapse? problem rather than boosting your relationship. A pelvic organ prolapse usually occurs when your pelvic floor muscles have Kegel8® can help you find become too weak to support one or the best position to minimise more of your pelvic organs. This can prolapse symptoms and cause it to droop out of place. maximise pleasure. Refreshingly, you can still have great sex if you have suffered from prolapse. This includes prolapse of the bladder, uterus or rectum. Try our tweaks because a good sex life is great for your pelvic floor...

9 Try the below positions for more comfortable intercourse if you For Pleasure suffer from a pelvic organ prolapse: For Pain The positions that you should avoid if you suffer pain from a pelvic organ prolapse include: • Standing • Girl on Top • Girl on Top (reverse) These positions can cause discomfort for your prolapse as the force of gravity will be against you.

Spooning You will be able to control the speed and depth of penetration occurring.

Modified Missionary Achieve this by placing a few pillows underneath your pelvis. This angle will cause the prolapse to retract slightly, lessening any discomfort.

10 Around 17% of women experience Vaginal Dryness problems with vaginal dryness and Atrophy during sex

Around 17% of women aged 18-50 To transform the Sahara into the experience problems with vaginal Amazon, try using a water-based dryness during sex, even before lubricant to bring ease and comfort into your sex life. the menopause. This can cause ® some pain and discomfort during The Kegel8 KE Gel is a pH balanced almost any position in sexual lubricant that is non-irritating and kind to your skin. Don’t feel embarrassed to intercourse and may even take a visit your GP either, there are a variety toll on your relationship. of treatments available for dryness; a topical oestrogen cream (available on prescription) might be just what you need to plump the delicate tissue and restore some natural lubrication. Top Tip The Kegel8® KE GEL Kegel Exercise Lubricant not only helps to ease insertion, but it also boosts the “I have used this product for connectivity from the electrodes to your over a year and I wouldn’t buy anything else.” pelvic floor – enhancing your workout! Sally, Kegel8® Customer 11 Prolapse. What it is, what causes it, and how you can manage yours.

Many of us will not have heard the half of women over the age of 50 will term prolapse until we experience suffer with some form of prolapse[1]. a problem. But what exactly is a There are various different types prolapse? And why are so many of us and stages which represent the at risk? prolapse severity. For some of us, the The primary cause of prolapse is symptoms will be so mild that we weakened or damaged pelvic floor won’t even visit our doctor. However, muscles. Responsible for supporting even where this is the case, it can still each of the pelvic organs, when they significantly impact on our physical are no longer strong enough to carry and emotional wellbeing. out this job effectively, it can result in It’s therefore vital that we know the one or more of the organs sagging, best ways to prevent and manage it! or dropping down, into the vagina/ rectum. Scarily, it is estimated that

12 What are the different types of prolapse? If you think about it, our pelvic cavity is home to a number of extremely important organs, all of which are at risk of falling out of place. When this happens, it can affect the anterior (front) or Healthy Pelvic Floor posterior (back) wall of the vagina, and in some cases the central part of the pelvis. Different types of pelvic organ prolapse include: • : A prolapsed bladder. The most prevalent form of prolapse; this is where the bladder drops downwards into the vagina. • : Partially prolapsed rectum. The front wall of the rectum bulges into the vagina. Cystocele (Bladder prolapse) Those with rectocele are more prone to developing cystocele. • : Complete rectal prolapse. This occurs when the rectum protrudes out of the body through the anus. • : Prolapse of the uterus (womb) into the vagina. Those who suffer with a prolapsed uterus are at a greater risk of developing another form of prolapse. Rectocele (Rectal prolapse)

13 It’s the age-old What causes question: Prolapse? “Why me?”

You've taken good care of yourself over the years, maintaining a healthy diet and doing the obligatory 30 minutes of exercise daily. So why are you still at risk of developing prolapse? Well, you may be surprised to learn that this alone is not enough to keep your pelvic floor muscles strong and healthy. When they are weak, they are unable to support the pelvic organs effectively. This may occur for a number of different reasons, including:

Childbirth Menopause

Abdominal pressure Surgery e.g.

Age Congenital conditions

14 What are my options?

Lifestyle changes Pessary Achieving a healthy weight will Typically used to treat uterine prolapse; a strengthen the pelvic floor and prevent pessary is a temporary solution for pregnant your prolapse from worsening. women, women who have given birth, or those awaiting surgery. Occasionally offered Pelvic floor exercise as a permanent solution for those who An effective way to prevent, manage do not wish to have, or are unsuitable for, and treat prolapse. Much like any surgery. Side effects may include bleeding other work out, pelvic floor exercise and bladder weakness. will increase tone and strength in the muscles over time, helping to ‘lift up’ Surgery the prolapsed organs. In cases where prolapse is extremely severe, surgery could be the best and, Pelvic floor toners indeed, the only option. However, all too If you have difficulty exercising your often we opt for surgery without being fully pelvic floor manually, a pelvic toner aware of our choices. Surgery may involve might be the thing for you. Kegel the insertion of synthetic mesh, vaginal wall weights can help you to recognise repair or suspension of the prolapsed organ. when you’re exercising correctly, In more serious cases, a hysterectomy or while electronic toners exercise your obliterate surgery may be performed. muscles for you. Both are clinically It is important to explore all other options proven to help manage incontience before committing to this type of treatment, and prolapse with minimal side effects. because as with any kind of procedure, Hormone Replacement prolapse surgery carries with it some Therapy (HRT) degree of risk. Side effects can range from bleeding/infection, constipation, damage Sometimes offered where prolapse to neighbouring organs, painful sex and is attributed to the menopause, HRT problems with passing urine. Additionally, increases the level of oestrogen to approximately 1/3 of women who have rebuild muscle strength, alleviating prolapse surgery may need more than the symptoms and preventing the one operation as there is a 25-30% chance prolapse from worsening. However, that it could return, or a different type of it carries a number of risks, including prolapse could develop [2]. links to cancer.

15 How to manually Measure your Squeeze

Pelvic floor exercises are a vital part of your exercise routine. By keeping your pelvic floor strong, you can help keep control of your bladder and bowels, avoid prolapse and keep enjoying strong . What is a ‘squeeze’? A ‘squeeze’, ‘Kegel’, or whatever you want to call it, is a pelvic floor contraction. You can perform this exercise by squeezing and lifting the pelvic floor muscles. To do this, you must tighten the muscles around your anus and vagina and lift them upwards towards your navel. Can you do it? Congratulations – now you know how to ‘squeeze and lift’. But, it doesn’t stop there. Depending on how often you exercise your pelvic floor, your muscles could be in peak condition or a little worse for wear. Just 2-3 times a week could keep your pelvic floor muscles firing correctly! Struggling with the squeeze? Read on...

16 How can you Measure the Strength of your pelvic floor? More often than not, a Kegel exercise is not performed correctly. Usually, this is due to the pelvic floor muscles being pushed down and strained rather than being pulled up and strengthened. So, how do you know if you’re doing them correctly?! There are a variety of ways to test the strength and effectiveness of our pelvic floor muscles, including:

The finger test For women, you can insert a couple of fingers (whatever’s comfortable!) into the vagina and squeeze the pelvic floor muscles. You should be able to feel a gentle squeeze on your fingers if you are contracting the muscles correctly. Your partner will also be able to feel this squeeze during penetrative sex!

Kegel8® Kegel Weights These cones have a unique indicator tail which bobs downwards when you are correctly squeezing your pelvic floor muscles. Plus, they come in a variety of sizes and weights to test, train and strengthen your pelvic floor.

“I’ve nearly completed the 12 week programme and I can say that the Kegel8 vaginal cones have definitely helped me. I now feel confident enough to not wear incontinence pads when I go for a run - although I still have the occasional ‘almost’ moment; and I don’t feel quite ready to try the trampoline challenge, I am really pleased at the improvement that has been experienced in just 12 weeks.” AnonymousMum, Kegel8® Customer

17 Stuggling to squeeze? You’re not alone! Did you know? 50% of women don't know how to produce an effective pelvic floor contraction. These are the common mistakes...

Squeezing your buttocks Lift, don’t push It’s important to isolate the This one is very important: you pelvic floor and not tense must squeeze and lift! Pushing other muscles like your down on the muscles is counter- glutes or abs. productive as it puts undue pressure on the pelvic floor.

Remember to breathe... Don’t give up! Always focus on your It takes persistence, practice, breath when kegelling. and patience to see results but You should be able to it will be worth it. Make them a breath normally; don’t part of your daily routine and strain or hold your breath! you’ll see results before too long.

Try this position Here's another great position to hold while you do your pelvic floor exercises. Lying like this will help isolate the pelvic floor muscles and prevent you from squeezing your buttocks or tensing your abdominal muscles; Lie on your stomach, resting your head on your hands with your legs out straight. Then bring one leg out to the side, bending your knee to a 90 degree angle. Simple! With this pose you should really feel the focus on your pelvic floor muscles.

18 Mastered the squeeze? Pick up the pace:

There are two types of pelvic floor exercises (or kegels); Slow Kegels - holding your 'squeeze and lift' for at least 5 seconds, and Fast Kegels - with these you hold your 'squeeze and lift' for just 2 seconds and relax for just 2 seconds! Exercising in this way specifically targets the fast Top Tip twitch muscle fibres in your pelvic floor - these With such quick are the fibres responsible for fast reaction to movements it can help control urine when you cough, laugh, sneeze, to chant as you exercise: jump and run. With such quick contractions these squeeze 1, 2 as you step exercises can be tough but they are essential to a up; and relax 1, 2 as you healthy pelvic floor; so here's a great way to help step down. get the motivation and rhythm you need:

Aerobic Pelvic Floor routine: 1. Position yourself in front of a step - this can be an aerobics step, or just the bottom step of your stairs in your home.

2. Step up onto the step, one foot after the other as you would in an aerobics class, squeezing and lifting your pelvic floor muscles as you do so.

3. As both feet land on the step, step back down and release your squeeze and lift, relaxing your pelvic floor muscles as both feet return to the floor.

4. And repeat 10 times. The great thing about this exercise is you can actaully do it in the gym or even a step class and no one will even know.

19 With over 16 years of Further reading experience helping women, we’re eager to share everything & information we’ve learned!

Support & Advice We are here to help you. Whether you need help selecting the right pelvic floor toner, have any questions or want to find out more about our Kegel8 units, you can schedule a call with one of our friendly customer service team members.

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