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When we talk about the health of our all-important pelvic floor muscles (the muscles and ligaments that support everything in your pelvic region, including your bladder, bowels, and uterus), one product comes up a lot: Kegel balls. These vaginal weights are used to strengthen your pelvic floor, which can address some types of pelvic floor dysfunction. Kegel balls can be effective as part of an overall pelvic health practice, but learning how to use Kegel balls properly isn’t as simple as you might think.
For one thing, you can’t solve all pelvic floor–related issues with Kegel balls alone. In fact, Kegel balls can actually make some problems worse, says Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, Los Angeles–based pelvic floor physical therapist at Femina Physical Therapy and president of the Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy. “Many people think that if you have incontinence, prolapse, or pelvic pain, [you should] ‘just do Kegels,’ like it’s a magical exercise that cures all,” Dr. Jeffcoat tells POPSUGAR. That’s not the case, and it’s one reason why you should consult with your ob-gyn or a pelvic floor physical therapist before you start using Kegel balls. (More on that below.)
First things first, though. As much as you may have heard about Kegel balls, you might not know when and how to use them, let alone what Kegel balls shouldn’t be used for. POPSUGAR spoke to two pelvic floor physical therapists to clear it all up.
Benefits of Kegel Balls
Kegel balls can help to strengthen and increase the endurance of your pelvic floor muscles, says Dr. Jeffcoat, particularly after those muscles have been weakened or torn by things like childbirth or an injury.
Pelvic floor dysfunction, which is the inability to control the muscles of your pelvic floor, can cause symptoms like incontinence (urinary or fecal), constipation, pelvic pain or pressure, pain during sex, or pelvic muscle spasms. Because Kegel balls help to strengthen the pelvic floor, they may help with some types of pelvic floor dysfunction, although they should not be used if the pelvic floor dysfunction is caused by muscular tightness in the pelvic floor. (More on that later.)
How to Use Kegel Balls
Kegel balls are small, sphere-shaped weights, sold as one weight or a connected set of two. They’re designed to improve “the strength and endurance of a group of muscles that stretch from the pubic bone to your tailbone,” aka your pelvic floor muscles, says Bijal Toprani, PT, DPT, a physical therapist specializing in pelvic health at Hinge Health. Kegel balls are most often recommended for people with weakened pelvic floor muscles, which can happen after things like childbirth, traumatic injury, or nerve damage.
You use Kegel balls intravaginally, which means you place them in your vagina. Before you insert them, it’s best to wash your hands and the Kegel balls with antibacterial soap, then dry them off and apply some lube to help you slide them in easily. (You may also want to apply some lube to your vaginal opening.) After that, placing the Kegel balls inside your vagina is similar to inserting a tampon. Try lying down comfortably with your legs spread, then slowly inserting the balls one at a time. The end of the removal string should stick out so you can easily pull the balls out when you’re ready.
