Kegel exercise is advised for strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor of women. The name of this exercise has been derived from the name of a gynecologist called Arnold Kegel. The exercise was developed as early as during the 1940s. This exercise is very helpful for women who have urinary incontinence problem. This problem can arise after childbirth when the woman has diminished control on her bladder. As more than two-thirds women are affected by this problem either when they are pregnant or after childbirth, the Kegel exercise is quite popular. The exercise can also be performed as a preventive measure for some common conditions.
This exercise involves squeezing and releasing the pelvic floor muscles. As the muscles strengthen, women will overcome their problems. The Kegel exercise helps women by improving the circulation of blood. Owing to its importance, the Kegel exercises are advised for pregnant women. As it is easy to do and it can be done at any time, more and more women are doing it on a daily basis. The need for the Kegel exercise arises due to the burden posed by the unborn baby's weight on the muscles of the woman.
Pregnant women benefit a lot from the Kegel exercise as it makes childbirth much easier. It is better to spend a few minutes daily for practicing the Kegel exercise as it plays a role in strengthening the muscles and increasing blood circulation to prepare the body for childbirth. Even after childbirth, the women can continue doing the exercises to nullify the effect of the wear and tear that the muscles have undergone. Since obesity can weaken the pelvic floor muscles, the Kegel exercise is quite useful.
During pregnancy, there is a lot of pressure on the woman's rectal veins. This can cause pain and discomfort related to Hemorrhoids. The chance of such a condition becoming worse is quite high. To treat it, the doctor has to check the seriousness of the condition and offer solutions accordingly. The good news is that this condition has the effect of disappearing without any treatment on its own once the child has been delivered. The Kegel exercise proves useful to prevent Hemorrhoids by increasing the flow of blood.
There are other exercises that are useful for women who are pregnant. They have been listed here:
- Sit cross-legged over a flat surface like the floor. You need not do anything more. You can do this about 3 times during a day for about ten minutes (each session). You can incorporate this into the daily schedule by eating or stitching while you sit in this position. With time, you will be able to increase the duration for which you are able to maintain this sitting position.
- Squat consciously for doing your daily chores several times in a day. Once you get used to it, you will be able to repeat it for extended periods of time.
- Raise the shoulders close to the ears and rotate them. This will stretch the neck and shoulder muscles.