- Kegels are a popular exercise for improving orgasms and stopping incontinence.
- But most people don't need to do them, said a pelvic floor physical therapist.
Kegel exercises are touted as a one-size-fits-all way to improve orgasms and stop incontinence. But a pelvic floor health expert told Insider that most people don't need to do kegels, and that doing those popular "squeeze along" videos on TikTok can actually be damaging.
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The pelvic floor is a group of muscles which form a hammock-like support under the pelvic organs, which include the uterus or prostate, bladder, and bowels. A weak pelvic floor can lead to issues such as incontinence, constipation, and sexual dysfunction.
Kegel exercises can be beneficial for certain people who have weak pelvic floors, such as people who are pregnant or have just given birth, older people, or people who have just had surgery in their pelvic area. The exercises entail tightening and releasing the pelvic floor muscles to strengthen them, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Elizabeth Akincilar, a physical therapist and owner of the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center, told Insider that most people, however, don't need to do kegel exercises. They won't make any tangible differences to their pelvic floor health, and it can actually cause the very pelvic floor issues which the kegels were intended to prevent.
Doing kegels incorrectly can cause health problems
The reason that doing kegels can be problematic is that most people do kegels wrong if they do them without medical guidance, Akincilar said.
The term "kegels" is a "very general, overarching" term for a group of exercises, she said. Before starting to squeeze, you should consult a physiotherapist who specializes in the pelvic floor about which of these specific exercises you should do.
And doing kegels incorrectly, or unnecessarily, can lead to your pelvic floor being too tight. This can cause pain, difficulty pooping, a need to go to the bathroom frequently, and difficulty reaching orgasm — similar symptoms to a weak pelvic floor.
Doing kegels won't improve your orgasms
If you can already reach orgasm, Akincilar said that doing kegels won't drastically improve those orgasms. This is because, Insider previously reported, having stronger pelvic floor muscles isn't something that people with vaginas can feel, and it doesn't have any impact on how "tight" a vagina is.
Doing kegel-like muscle squeezes can improve an orgasm when they're done during sex. Dr. Sherry Ross previously told Insider that tensing your pelvic floor muscles during sex can intensify an orgasm for people with vaginas and people with penises.
But, as for non-coital kegels, "unless you've gone through something that has compromised the muscles of your pelvic floor, that has made them weak, or unable to contract," Akincilar said, there's probably no point doing kegel exercises.
Meanwhile, kegels can be done to tackle sexual dysfunction in people with penises, such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation —but they should still see a doctor before squeezing too.