The Most Common Mistakes Patients Make With Kegels and How Clinicians Fix Them

Kegel exercises are commonly prescribed for bladder control, pelvic organ support, sexual function, and postpartum recovery. On paper, they seem simple. Contract the pelvic floor, relax, and repeat. In practice, however, many patients struggle to perform them correctly. This helps explain why some people diligently do Kegels for weeks or months and still see little improvement. The problem is rarely motivation. It is almost always the technique.

One of the most common mistakes clinicians see is bearing down instead of lifting. A correct pelvic floor contraction involves gently drawing the muscles upward and inward, as if lifting the pelvic organs. Many patients do the opposite. They push downward, similar to straining during a bowel movement. This increases pressure on the pelvic floor and can worsen symptoms such as leakage or pelvic heaviness, particularly in patients with prolapse or postpartum weakness.

Another frequent error is using the wrong muscle groups. Patients often tighten their gluteal muscles, thighs, or abdominal wall while the pelvic floor itself remains relatively inactive. This can feel like effort, so it is easy to assume the exercise is being done correctly. This limits pelvic floor strengthening and may reinforce poor coordination between muscle groups that should work independently.

Breath-holding is another major issue. Many patients instinctively hold their breath during a contraction. This increases intra-abdominal pressure, which pushes downward against the pelvic floor and interferes with proper muscle activation. Effective pelvic floor training requires coordinated breathing, typically involving gentle exhaling during contraction and full relaxation afterward. Without this coordination, muscle strength gains are limited, and symptoms may persist.

Overtraining is also surprisingly common. Some patients perform too many repetitions or fail to relax between efforts fully. Instead of building strength and endurance, this can lead to muscle fatigue or pelvic floor overactivity. In these cases, patients may develop pain, difficulty initiating urination, and fail to see improvement.

Reviews of pelvic floor muscle training consistently report that up to 50 percent of women cannot correctly contract their pelvic floor muscles based on verbal cues alone. This means that even motivated and attentive patients may unknowingly practice incorrect technique unless some form of assessment or feedback is provided.

This gap between effort and effectiveness is where guided feedback becomes important. In clinical practice, pelvic health clinicians address these issues through careful assessment and retraining. This may include internal digital examination to assess lift and relaxation, clear cueing that emphasizes gentle lift, and the use of PeriCoach to confirm correct muscle activation in real time.

PeriCoach provides real-time biofeedback that allows patients to see whether they are contracting correctly and fully relaxing between repetitions. This type of feedback bridges a well-known gap in pelvic floor rehabilitation: the limited time available in the clinic versus the need for consistent, accurate practice at home. In-clinic assessments set the foundation, but guided home training is where consistency and skill are built. By supporting patients with structured pelvic floor muscle training and biofeedback at home, clinicians can reinforce technique, monitor progress, and adjust care more effectively at follow-up.

Real-world data shows that 57 percent of women using PeriCoach start with poor technique, and 25 percent of those users self-correct by week 4 with guided feedback. This shows that clear instructions and ongoing feedback lead to improved outcomes. Confidence also improves, which is critical for long-term adherence.

Pelvic floor rehabilitation is about doing the right movement, with the right muscles, at the right time. PeriCoach makes the difference between frustration and meaningful progress.

Order your PeriCoach today and practice with clarity, confidence and control.

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