The most important, beneficial exercise you can do while pregnant is the kegal. This is a contraction of the 5 layers of pelvic floor muscles and fascia that is best described like stopping the flow of urine. The pelvic floor muscles act as a sling to support a pregnant woman’s uterus and pelvic organs.
Common pregnancy symptoms such as urinary incontinence and hemorrhoids can be controlled and even prevented by performing pelvic floor exercises throughout your pregnancy. Kegals also enhance blood flow to the perineum to aid in healing of hemorrhoids and prevent blood pooling in this area after exercise sessions.
While pregnant, progesterone and relaxin hormones relax all smooth muscle in the body, not just the uterus. This leaves pregnant women vulnerable to smooth muscle issues such as prolapse of the uterus, rectum and bladder. Pelvic floor muscles are the main structure left to help support these organs and become of key importance. The pelvic floor muscles are at risk of being stressed from overuse as the uterus grows quickly and therefore strengthening should begin as early as possible to avoid this. Kegals may also help facilitate labour with the pushing phase during a delivery.
Many times overlooked as a treatment or prevention for pregnancy related sacroiliac joint and hip joint pain and stress are kegal pelvic floor exercises. Fascial connections between pelvic floor muscles, sacroiliac ligaments, hip rotator muscles and hamstrings can refer stress and pain into sacroiliac and hip joint when pelvic floor muscles are weak.
A woman uterus grows from 4ml to 4000ml capacity or less than a teaspoon to 4 litres. This is a great deal for that pelvic sling to hold up. This is a 1000x increase, so you better make sure your pelvic floor muscles are 1000x stronger.
The 3 main types of kegals women can perform are regular 1-2 second contractions, the super kegal which is a 20 second hold maintaining intensity throughout and the elevator kegal that gradually increases in intensity as you pull your pelvic floor muscles up higher in a progressive contraction 3-10x and releasing the contraction slowly.
Therefore kegals can help with sacroiliac and hip joint issues, prolapse of smooth muscle, incontinence, may help facilitate labour and promote recovery and healing in the perineum.
Jacqueline Gradish
BSc, Pre/Post Natal Exercise Specialist
