What is Fecal Incontinence and Where Does it Come From?
Fecal incontinence is the accidental leakage of feces while performing chores, life activities, coughing, sneezing, laughing, or during physical exertion such as lifting groceries.
Fecal incontinence can be the result of weak pelvic floor muscles, and generally responds well to pelvic floor strengthening or Kegel exercises, also known as Kegels.
Using vaginal weights can help train the muscles in conjunction with certain exercises. The goal of the exercises below is to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles specifically for the treatment of fecal incontinence, and improve coordination and timing of these muscles during activities during which leakage occurs.
Performing Kegels To Help With Fecal Incontinence
For Beginners
Lying on your back with knees bent and feet shoulder width apart, place your pelvis and low back in neutral alignment: this means that the pelvis is not rocked up or down, but is right in the middle, parallel to the ceiling. You may wish to have a pillow under your head for added comfort.
To contract your pelvic floor muscles, visualize pulling the anus up and inward as if you were trying to prevent passing gas. This action properly tightens the pelvic floor muscles to address fecal incontinence, and this is one method of performing the exercise known as a Kegel.
When doing a Kegel, avoid movement of the pelvis or bearing downward as if you were going to pass gas. It is also important to avoid holding your breath. While doing the exercise, inhale keeping the muscles relaxed, then exhale and simultaneously perform the Kegel.
Hold the contraction for 5 seconds, then rest for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Do this 3 times every day.
Once this becomes easier, perform the Kegel exercises seated in a chair. Sit up tall, and inhale, relaxing the pelvic floor muscles, then exhale and perform a Kegel. Perform the Kegels in varied lengths in the seated position as follows:
Time Saver
Seated, contract your pelvic floor muscles as quickly and as tightly as you can for 1 second. Rest 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Repeat 3 times per day. Perform daily.
Tight? Start here!
Long Kegel
When you are able to hold the Basic Kegel for 5 seconds easily, begin to increase hold time working towards a 10 second hold, followed by a 10 second rest. Complete 10 repetitions every day.
When these exercises become easier, you may progress them by adding an Intimate Rose Vaginal weight. To find the proper weight to exercise with, begin by placing the white vaginal weight into the vagina as you would a tampon.
Stand up and attempt to hold the weight inside the vagina for 1 minute. If this can be easily achieved, attempt to walk around doing chores in your home with your clothing on as you normally would with the weight inserted for 20 minutes.
If this can be achieved quite easily, attempt to do this with the next heaviest weight on a subsequent day.
Kegel Weights
If the weight falls out into your underwear, go back down to the previous weight that you were able to maintain for 20 minutes, and use that weight to perform the aforementioned Kegel exercises described in the Quick Kegel and Long hold section.
In order to train the pelvic floor muscles to react quickly to prevent fecal leakage during activities of daily living, it is necessary to train them during such tasks. The goal of these exercises is to build coordination and control of the pelvic floor muscles during common daily tasks.
To do this, place in the vaginal weight that you were able to maintain for 20 minutes as described before, and perform the following exercises 3-5 times per week:
Note: the contraction of the pelvic floor muscles should continue to be focused around the anus.
These are just a few of the exercises you can do to that'll help with bowel incontinence as well as other conditions such as prolapse, recovering from childbirth and more. As always if you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out to us at Intimate Rose.
Tight? Start here!
