Why use vaginal balls?
There are a number of benefits to using vaginal balls. They can help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
Why is that good? It will keep your urinary system in good working order; good muscle tone = good bladder and bowel control. Vaginal Balls can help women regain their pelvic floor muscle tone after pregnancy and childbirth, or if they have stress incontinence.
Both men and women are recommended to practice regular Kegel exercises (exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor) throughout life.
From a sexual perspective, your pelvic floor muscles are the ones that contract during orgasm. Developing these muscles should enhance arousal and may amplify your orgasms. If you contract your muscles as you are getting turned on, you can accelerate physical arousal and blood flow by using your pelvic floor muscles like a pump.
It is also handy to know how to relax your pelvic floor muscles when you want to; it can make being penetrated more comfortable at the start of sex or when having a PAP smear.
Around a third of women are unsure where exactly their pelvic floor muscles are and haven’t learned how to voluntarily contract and relax them. These women can benefit from seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist.
Vaginal balls exercise the pelvic floor muscles in women. The balls do the work; you just need to insert them (instructions below), and walk around. Vaginal balls set up a better mind-body connection, by bringing your attention to your vagina when you have them in place.
From an erotic perspective, some women say it feels arousing to use vaginal balls as part of extended foreplay, for example by wearing them out to a club.
How do vaginal balls work?
When vaginal balls are inserted, they work in two ways. Both the pelvic floor and the muscles surrounding the vagina comprise both fast- and slow-twitch fibers (Perkins 1998). The balls act as a weight and automatically the slow-twitch fibers activate the pelvic floor muscles to contract against gravity to keep the balls in place.
Most vaginal balls have smaller balls inside them that only move when you move. This creates the second effect; the silent clicking balls stimulate the fast-twitch fibers that make the vaginal muscles contract, that are not in our voluntary control.
Vaginal balls work best when you are active; many women find it is possible to do active things, including exercise and lifting, while they have them in place. It is not recommended you sit with them in - this can be uncomfortable – better to use them when you are going to be standing and moving around.
Any muscles stimulated by a regular exercise program will strengthen; your pelvic floor muscles are no different. You can also consciously contract your pelvic floor muscles around vaginal balls for added effect. Russian women are known for hanging weights from the extraction loop of their vaginal balls for serious strength training.
The Miu Miu offers vaginal balls that vibrate, rather than having a second set of balls inside. You can set it to vibrate at random, reminding you to contract your muscles. They also come with a remote control, in case you would like to involve your partner in your training program. Great for both work and play.
I can't isolate my pelvic floor and don't know if I am squeezing the right muscles?
You are not alone. One study showed that 30% of women with stress incontinence couldn't contract their pelvic floor musculature properly despite adequate information [Thomsen Bernstein, 1997]. Vaginal balls work without you having to do anything except insert them past your pelvic floor muscles.
How to find your pelvic floor muscles: Next time you are sitting on the toilet to urinate, stop your stream a few times. The muscles you use to do this are your pelvic floor. When you stop your stream, you are contracting the muscles, and when you push your muscles out (bear down) to squeeze out the last few drops of urine, you are relaxing your pelvic floor muscles.
IMPORTANT: Do not stop your stream of urine on a regular basis. It can lead to problems where your bladder may not empty properly.
If you need help to locate your pelvic floor muscles and don't know if you are squeezing them correctly, see a pelvic floor physio for advice.
Do I need one or two balls?
Some women prefer to start with one ball and build up to two with heavier weights, while others are happy to go straight to two balls straight away. Women who have not given birth may prefer to use one ball or go for the Luna Beads Mini.
If you have a prolapsed uterus, you should only use one ball. The Smartball Uno is fantastic for beginners and for women with a prolapsed or tipped uterus to get their pelvic muscles back in shape in a fun and easy way.
You could also use a single Luna Bead (with a retrieval string) if you wanted to; pink is light and blue is heavier. You can mix and match in the cradle as your muscle tone improves.
How do I insert vaginal balls?
Empty your bladder and wash your hands before you begin. Start by placing a small amount of water-based lubricant on the topside of the vaginal ball (the opposite end to the extraction loop) and at the entrance to your vagina. Try to avoid getting lubricant on your fingers, as this can make things slippery. Have a towel nearby.
Some women stand to insert vaginal balls, with one foot up on a chair or bath; others lie on their back and prop their pelvis up with a pillow to let gravity assist them.
Apply gentle pressure to the ball at the entrance of the vagina until you feel it “pop” inside. If you are using two balls, insert the one furthest from the extraction loop first, then twirl the second ball against the entrance to the vagina to help spread lubricant evenly.
Insert the second ball by applying gentle but firm pressure once more, until you feel that one also pop past the pelvic floor muscles and push the first ball further into the vagina. The second ball should settle at least 2cm inside the vagina, where a tampon would ordinarily sit.
You should not experience pain when using vaginal balls. If you experience pain, please contact your health care physician. You may also contact me for advice.
Tips: Keep applying gentle pressure after inserting the first ball, as the vaginal muscles may try to push it out before you can insert the second. It can be helpful to keep in mind that the vagina slopes gently backwards, towards the sacrum.
Make sure the retrieval band stays outside the vagina.
How far in do they have to go?
The pelvic floor muscles must sit below the edge of the last vaginal ball by at least 2cm. It is better to insert them higher in the vagina and withdraw them slightly if necessary for comfort, by pulling gently on the extraction loop. The lower ball should sit in a similar position to a tampon, just above the pelvic floor muscles.
Vaginal balls may feel a little strange or slightly uncomfortable at first, but this is usually temporary.
A new awareness improves mind – body connection. Many women comment they are not used to being conscious of their vaginas, and it has a positive effect.
Image from: http://www.mmptinc.com/Images/Interior/services/pelvic%20muscles.jpg
How do I remove vaginal balls?
When you have finished your workout, remove the balls by firmly and gently pulling on the extraction loop, while you relax or push your pelvic floor muscles out (as you do when you are trying to expel the last few drops of urine).
The vaginal balls keep falling out. What should I do?
All the literature says you should be patient and persevere with using vaginal balls, even if you struggle to hold them in place initially. With regular practice, your muscles will build up until they can hold the balls in position, even with exertion, coughing and sneezing.
Start with a single ball, with a light weight. You might find a ball with a larger circumference easier to keep in place. Don't despair if you need to reinsert it a few times initially - start with 15 minutes per day indoors for a week.
If you have concerns about using vaginal balls or don't feel any improvement after a few weeks use, consult your GP, gynaecologist or a pelvic floor physio for advice.
How should I clean vaginal balls?
Vaginal balls should be cleaned immediately before and after use with soap and warm water, and dried carefully. You may also use a toy cleaner if you wish.
All the vaginal balls offered on this site are made from non-porous materials, and can be cleaned thoroughly. 100% silicone balls can be boiled for 3 minutes to sterilise them.
Are vaginal balls the same as Ben Wa Balls?
Smooth glass Ben Wa Balls, such as the Icicle's #42 are also great for pelvic floor training. These can feel more erotic as some women say they move independently and sometimes spin when they move.
Like everything related to sex, people have really varied experiences with Ben Wa Balls. Some experience nothing more than a slow burn, not coming close to orgasm. Some women are able to orgasm while wearing them, and some enjoy how it enhances their arousal. Remember the fantasy value of Fifty Shades of Grey. Keep your expectations reasonable and try them a number of times.
How do I remove Ben Wa Balls?
Ben Wa Balls can be a little trickier to remove because they don't have a retrieval cord. To remove them, you can sit and bear down with your pelvic floor muscles, walk around or jump up and down, cough, or just add more lube to your vagina. Their smoothness ensures they are very easy to clean.
Never fear. They can't get lost inside you. The vagina has a ceiling, called the cervix, and the balls can't get past that. Even without a retrieval cord, Ben Wa Balls are always in reach.
Is there scientific research into using vaginal balls?
Vaginal Balls have been used in Scandinavian countries since the early 1990s. Jan Perkins conducted a review of the scientific literature on vaginal weights and concluded,
"that, despite some practical and theoretic concerns, there is adequate clinical evidence to support the use of weights in selected populations. Weights may be an effective training aid for women with mild to moderate stress incontinence, particularly in the absence of severe pelvic organ prolapse.
They also may be useful for pelvic floor strengthening during the immediate postpartum period, as a behavioral program for continence maintenance, and for self-management programs". Vaginal weights "appear to enhance the effect of pelvic floor exercises in at least the short term, and to increase compliance with pelvic floor exercises overall".
Vaginal weights for assessment and training of the pelvic floor. Perkins, J. Journal of WOCN, Volume 25, Issue 4, July 1998, Pages 206 - 216
Perkins' article mentions an early study that highlighted the advantage gained by using vaginal weights as they strengthen the deeper muscle layers of the pelvic floor (Norton & Baker 1990).
In 2001, Glavind's conducted a small pilot study, where 6 women
"were instructed to use the Geisha balls 15 minutes a day for 1 week and after that for half an hour a day. Treatment was for a total of 12 weeks. The balls were not used during menstruation. They were used while performing everyday tasks at home.
He concluded,
performing pelvic floor muscles with Geisha balls proved to be simple and effective. The exercises can be done while the patient is doing other everyday tasks, which increases compliance. The treatment can be instituted in all patients after a simple minimal care program.
All participants stated that their incontinence was either "no longer a problem" or "greatly improved".
Conservative Treatment of Stress Incontinence with Geisha Balls, K. Glavind, Int Urogynecol J (2001))
A study of 37 women by Arvonen et al in 2000 concluded that
training with weighed vaginal balls is an effective training mode in the conservative management of stress urinary incontinence and the reduction of urinary leakage after four months of exercise in the training group with vaginal balls was significantly better
than the women assigned to a pelvic floor muscle training program alone.
In this study, balls of different weights and diameters were used with a series of exercises involving contraction and relaxation of the muscles while moving, repeated 10 times and performed twice a day over 4 months.
Effectiveness of Two Conservative Modes of Physical Therapy in Women With Urinary Stress Incontinence. Arvonen, A Fianu-Jonasson and R Tyni-Lenne. Neurourology & Urodynamics 20: p591 - 599 (2001)
In 2010, Lowenstein and friends studied 176 women complaining of a range of sexual dysfunctions to evaluate the association between pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength and sexual functioning. Women with strong or moderate pelvic floor muscles scored higher on both arousal and orgasmic domains compared to women with weak pelvic floors, suggesting that both the orgasm and arousal function are related to better pelvic floor function.
Since the orgasm phase involves PFM contraction, the correlation between the strength of PFM and orgasm quality is colloquially accepted. Our findings regarding the correlation between sexual arousal and PFM strength is also supported in the literature.
A previous study by Shafik … demonstrated that strengthening of PFM resulted in improvement of sexual desire, performance during coitus, and achievement of orgasm… changes may affect both pelvic muscle contraction and sexual arousals.
Exercise may also affect sexual function by improving circulation to the genital organ, mainly to the PFM, which is responsible for engorging the clitoris during the arousal phase.
Conclusion: Our study suggests that PFM strength is associated with sexual function.
Can stronger pelvic muscle floor improve sexual function? Lior Lowenstein & Ilan Gruenwald & Irena Gartman & Yoram Vardi. Int Urogynecol J (2010) 21:553–556
Are there other devices that exercise your pelvic floor?
Yes. There are four types of pelvic floor exercisers on the market:
Weights: Vaginal cones, vaginal barbells and vaginal balls. They are recommended by the International Consultation on Incontinence as first-line treatment for stress incontinence. Vaginal balls are usually wider and easier than cones to hold in place for some women and are preferred over barbells as they can be used while doing other activities. Best effect comes with daily use.
Feedback Exercisers: These are also called perineometers, where a woman dedicates time daily to pelvic floor exercise and receives feedback from the device when she contracts her muscles correctly.
Electrical Stimulators: These work by placing an electrode on the skin, that sends an electrical impulse that makes your pelvic floor muscles contract and are good for women who are unable to contract their pelvic floor muscles voluntarily. You need to be still to use this device.
Spring Exercisers: These feature two arms held apart by a spring, and the woman squeezes her pelvic floor against the resistance offered to open the arms.
I have chosen to only offer weighted vaginal balls on this site because they are suitable for beginners or advanced users, most offer adjustable resistance / weights, they work without you having to do anything except insert them (although they work even better if you squeeze against them), and you can exercise while doing other things.
I'm still not sure. What should I do?
If you are anxious or unsure about how to use vaginal balls, or if you experience no improvement after using them for a month, you should consult your GP, gynaecologist or a pelvic floor physiotherapist.
The information provided here should not be considered complete and should not replace the individualised advice of a health care provider.
