The Health Benefits of Using Kegel Balls
Although they’ve become more popular with the Fifty Shades of Grey series, Kegel balls have been around since 500 CE. They’re small balls with different weights, designed to be inserted into the vagina. They’re typically sold in sets and are sometimes tied together. Kegel balls may also feature a hanging string that makes them easier to remove. They can be made of various materials, such as silicone, metal, plastic and glass.
They’re also known by the names Ben Wa balls, geisha balls or love balls, and their primary purpose is to strengthen the vaginal and pelvic floor muscles. You can also use them for sexual pleasure.
Health Benefits of Kegel Balls
These balls can be a tabu in some countries, but as times evolve, more and more people understand the need and the benefits they’ll get from them.
Improve Your Sex Life
Kegel exercises tighten the vaginal wall and may enhance the orgasm intensity because the pelvic floor muscles are important to achieve one. They’re responsible for the pleasant contractions you feel, and you’ll get a more pleasurable orgasm if those muscles are strong and healthy. If you want to increase the pelvic region’s blood flow, you can do it by exercising the pelvic floor muscles. This will boost your sexual desire and lubrication. Plus, penetration is much easier if you have flexible muscles.
Boost Your Overall Fitness
Things like sitting for too long, repetitive movements, pregnancy, and injuries can negatively affect your body and reduce your fitness strength. During pregnancy, your abdominal muscles stretch and can compromise your core. The baby in the belly can create pain in the lower back, and ligaments will weaken thanks to the hormones released during this time. Regular exercise can help you recover faster after giving birth and lessen some symptoms.
Regularly exercising with the versatile Kegel balls can help you recover faster after giving birth and minimise some of the symptoms. Pelvic floor exercises should be included in your regular fitness routine because the pelvic floor weakens with prolonged sitting, hip injuries, and during childbirth. Pelvic floor muscle tone can help you avoid pelvic organ prolapse, leakage, and uncomfortable penetration.
Help With Menopause
During menopause, changing estrogen levels can cause reduced blood flow in the pelvic floor muscles. Kegel exercises can fix this. They’ll squeeze out old blood and allow for the new one to enter and help with the strengthening process.
Help You Recover From Childbirth
It doesn’t matter if you deliver the baby vaginally or through a cesarean; your pelvic floor muscles will weaken. Vaginal delivery, which can result in muscular tearing and possibly episiotomy, might worsen this weakness. The best part is that even these muscles will recover with Kegel exercises. You can also do them before getting pregnant and avoid weakening them to some extent, but always consult with your doctor before doing so.
Can Cure Bladder Leakage
The pelvic floor muscles support the bladder, uterus, and rectum. When they’re weak and uncoordinated, they provide less support around the sphincter, leading to leakage. Bladder leaking caused by intense activities such as training, carrying heavy things, coughing, laughing, or sneezing is known as stress urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is best treated with Kegels.
How to Use Kegel Balls
Before you start using the Kegel balls, you have to prepare them yourself. Always wash your hands and the Kegel balls with antibacterial soap. Use a clean towel to pat them dry and add a lot of lube to them so you can insert them easily without discomfort. Always lie down in a comfortable position and slowly insert the first ball. These balls are often connected with a string, so you’ll need to insert that as well. Once the first one is in, carefully insert the second one. Add lube if you need it at any time.
The loose string at the end of the balls should remain outside so you can remove them quickly. Tighten the pelvic muscles and hold the balls inside you. Now you can move, bend and reach without a problem, but don’t hold them inside for more than 4 hours. While they’re there, you can do some Kegel exercises or focus on individual exploration.
When you want to remove them, just lay down and add lube again, then slowly pull the outside string to remove them safely. But if there’s only one Kegel ball and it doesn’t have a string, there is another way to get them out. Stand in an upright position and spread your legs wider than the hips. Bend your knees slightly until you squat and squeeze the vaginal muscles. This will make the ball come out just like a tampon.
How to Clean Them
Keeping the balls clean and safely stored is highly important. If you don’t do it the right way, they can come in touch with some bacteria and cause infections, inflammations and pain. After you’re finished, wash them with warm water and rinse them with antibacterial soap. Ensure all of the soap is washed and pat them with a dry towel. You can also leave them to dry on their own for a couple of hours. They should always be stored in a box or a case just for them. Don’t mix them up with other objects.
How to Choose the Right Kegel Balls
If you’re encountering Kegel balls for the first time, always start with the lighter ones made from materials such as silicone or plastic and have a string for easy removal. Even though there are certain ones with three or more balls, begin with two and add up in time once you get used to them. You can also change the materials into something heavier, like metal or glass.