What are Jiggle Balls?
Read about the author Megan Barnett
Having a strong pelvic floor is beneficial to women of any age, and Jiggle Balls can help you to tone your pelvic floor more efficiently. Also known as Kegel Exercise Balls and Ben Wa Balls, Jiggle Balls help you to engage your pelvic floor muscles, which can help to alleviate urinary incontinence and deliver stronger orgasms.
The Pubococcygeus muscle, commonly referred to as the PC muscle, controls both urination and orgasm. It is a hammock-like muscle that can become loose over time. While you may assume that simply clenching your pelvic floor for extended periods of time is enough to tone this area, a key part of effective Kegel exercise is contraction and release. This helps to build strength, and just like weights help to build arm muscles, Jiggle Balls can help to tone your PC muscles more efficiently than doing them on your own.
Pelvic floor exercises are recommended for women after pregnancy, but practicing your Kegel exercises regularly can benefit women at any age. Some women believe that they just have to put up with symptoms such as peeing when sneezing, but that’s not the case! Having a strong pelvic floor will not only improve your bladder health, but it will also make orgasms feel more intense as the vaginal contraction will be more powerful than before.
How do I use Jiggle Balls?
Jiggle Balls come in a range of style and designs and are worn internally. If you are a beginner, it’s best to use Jiggle Balls that have a cord attached for easy removal. The Fun Factory Smartballs Uno and Duo are great for Kegel newbies as they also have a tapered head.
The OhMiBod LoveLife Flex are suitable for beginners due to their unintimidating size, and they are made from skin safe silicone, making them easy to insert and to clean too.
Apply a little water or oil based lubricant and gently insert them into you vagina.
Some people will do it instinctively, but once the Jiggle Balls have been inserted, engage or tense your PC muscle around the balls, and try to move them up and down your vaginal canal. This may sound strange, but as your pelvic floor becomes stronger, this will be easier to do.
People with very strong pelvic floors might want to use balls without a cord. The LELO Luna Beads are great for this; available in two sizes, the Luna Beads come with balls of varying weights that can be worn inside a harness or in the vagina on their own. As with Jiggle Balls that have cords on them, once the ball has been inserted, try to move it around with your PC muscles.
Beginners may want to practice their Kegel exercises with Jiggle Balls while seated with their legs together. More advanced positions for using Jiggle Balls include standing or squatting.
How effective are Jiggle Balls?
As with any exercise, the effectiveness of practicing your Kegel exercises with the assistance of Jiggle Balls is down to you, from how often you practice them to how much effort you put in.
If you’re not sure if you are exercising your pelvic floor correctly, go to your GP or get advice from a women’s physiotherapist. You could also use products that have in-built exercises that give you an indication of when you’re supposed to clench your PC muscles.
The LELO Luna Smart Bead responds to your reactions, and the stronger you squeeze the harder the workout becomes, helping to build pelvic strength.
Making your Kegel exercises part of your daily routine will help to tone your PC muscles efficiently, so try to aim for at least five minutes of exercising a day. You could do this while you dry your hair, chatting on the phone or when cleaning your teeth!
Useful websites
Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecology Physiotherapy: https://pogp.csp.org.uk/
Cystitis and Overactive Bladder Foundation: www.cobfoundation.org
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: www.csp.org.uk
British Menopause Society- thebms.org.uk
Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology- www.rcog.org.uk
Squeezy : www.squeezyapp.co.uk