Why "Just Do Kegels" Might Be the Worst Advice You've Heard

If you tell a friend (or sometimes even a doctor) that you're leaking or having pelvic pain, the automatic response is almost always: "You should do some Kegels!"

But did you know that for about 50% of people with pelvic floor dysfunction, Kegels are the wrong exercise?

The Problem with Tightness Imagine your biceps muscle is stuck in a constant flex. If you tried to lift a weight with that already-flexed arm, it wouldn't work well, and it would probably hurt. The same happens in your pelvis. If your muscles are Hypertonic (too tight) due to stress, posture, or compensation, trying to tighten them more with Kegels will only increase your pain, urgency, and dysfunction.

What You Might Need Instead: "Reverse Kegels" Before you can strengthen a muscle, you must be able to fully relax it. At Milton Physio Plus, we often start patients with "Reverse Kegels" or pelvic drops—learning to lengthen and soften the pelvic floor.

The Takeaway: Don't guess with your health. A pelvic floor assessment will determine if you need to strengthen or lengthen. Getting the right diagnosis is the key to fixing the problem, visit Milton Physio Plus and figure out what the key is for you!