Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Account Profile. Sign Out. Elvie Kegel Exercise Trainer. YarLap System. Aneros Vivi Stimulator and Kegel Exerciser. Intimina KegelSmart. Intimate Rose Kegel Weight Exercisers. Laselle Exerciser. Intimate Rose Pelvic Wand. There is good news! What Kegel exercise devices, aka Kegel machines, can do is help you do those exercises.
They work by either teaching you how to perform them correctly by giving you feedback, or do the work for you to strengthen and tone those pelvic floor muscles.
Your pelvic floor consists of a network of layered muscles, kind of like a hammock, that supports your bladder, uterus, vagina, and rectum. Just as with the rest of your body, these muscles need exercise to stay toned and function correctly. Kegels exercisers target these pelvic floor muscles, teaching your body to contract and release the muscles to tighten and improve strength.
Some Kegel exercise devices use internal, vaginal probes to either train you how to do Kegels or actually do them for you. External Kegel devices are not invasive and stimulate your muscles to do Kegels longer and stronger than you could on your own. How it Works: Series of increasing weights inserted vaginally. Identifies and builds up Kegel muscles. What you do: Squeeze to keep weights from falling. How it Works: Probe inserted vaginally. Measures strength of Kegels using biofeedback.
What you do: Squeeze with mobile app guide. How it Works: Sit on a chair while magnetic field is passed through your pelvic floor. Does Kegels for you via electrical stimulation.
What you do: Let probe contract muscles for you. How it Works: GelPad worn externally. What you do: Let device contract muscles for you. Kegel Weights. Cons: Requires dedicated time, Stay stationary, Requires privacy, Risk of infection. Like Kegel balls, be sure to check with your healthcare provider before using a Kegel exerciser during pregnancy or in the postpartum period. The reason for avoiding use during the first trimester, according to the company, is that placenta previa is not diagnosed until the second trimester and vaginal penetration is sometimes not recommended.
What it is: This licensed Health Canada medical device looks like a remote control with rounded ends that you insert into your vagina. Using LED technology, heat and sonic vibration, the vSculpt gives you a pelvic floor workout while you sit back and relax.
Doing Kegels during the six- to minute treatment sessions is optional. How it works: Light, heat and vibration are a triple threat for tackling pelvic floor problems. According to Joylux, the company that makes the vSculpt, the light increases the natural production of collagen and elastin, helps repair nerve damage and improves muscle tone; the vibration relaxes the muscles, improves blood flow and facilitates the delivery of light energy to the mucosal tissue; and the heat increases blood flow to the muscles to promote tissue healing.
Once you have achieved your desired results, a maintenance routine of two minutes sessions a week is recommended to keep your vagina toned. What you need to know: In both an independent study and a clinical trial by Joylux, 90 percent of women experienced less bladder leakage after using the vSculpt.
It consists of a silicone balloon, a handheld pump and a pressure gauge. There is also a model without the gauge. The creation of the device was inspired by the African tradition of inserting gourds into the vagina to stretch the pelvic floor muscles and reduce the risk the perineal injury.
How it works: To use the Epi-No, insert it two-thirds of the way in, pump it up and start doing your Kegels, watching the gauge go up and down as you contract and relax. This can be done at any time during your pregnancy. According to the National Institutes of Health, a quarter of women in this country have a pelvic floor issue, causing problems like painful sex, weakened orgasm, leaky urine, and constipation.
Here, experts discuss which gadgets might help. What they are: Made of soft silicon and wirelessly connected to smartphones, these devices sit in your vagina as an app talks you through a squeeze-and-release regimen. Some use game-like graphics to guide you. What we know: Little research exists on home devices, but a review showed that women given verbal cues or biofeedback on their pelvic floor regimen were significantly more likely to improve urinary incontinence issues than those who did Kegels without it.
Should you try them? Yes—as long as you see a gynecologist or an occupational or a physical therapist first, so they can determine if you have underactive or overactive muscles and devise the best routine, says Lindsey Vestal, an OT who created the online course Kegels That Work.
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