SmartBalls and toning the pelvic floor muscles
Well toned pelvic floor muscles improve a woman's orgasmic response, prevents incontinence and helps during and after giving birth. Easy and fun to use, SmartBalls are a must for all women. Find out how to improve your P/C. muscles below.
Did you know that over 40% of Australian and New Zealand women suffer from varying degrees of incontinence?
It is estimated that up to 46% of women experience some degree of incontinence during pregnancy, with up to 30% having an incontinence problem following delivery/ Plus as we age the problem compounds! (For more about the causes, read information at the bottom of the page)/
You are not alone if you experience one of these signs of incontinence: Do you sneeze and wet your pants? Can you no longer bounce on a trampoline? Can't go running without an uncomfortable leak of urine?
Women of all ages may suffer from mild incontinence/ This issue can be remedied for most women of any age, whether you are 60 or 16 and whether you never had a child, had one 6 weeks ago or 40 years ago/ Many younger women, especially those who have worked in retail or hospitality when they must hold on for long periods of time before going to the toilet, also may suffer from incontinence.
Pelvic Floor Muscles
The pelvic floor muscles are located above and around the vaginal opening, supporting and connected to the uterus. They contract when we orgasm, give our partner a squeeze on the penis or dildo and they stretch when we give birth.
Yoga and Pilates are an excellent form of exercise for improving pelvic floor tone/ Many women who regularly do either Yoga or Pilates may find their P/C. muscles are in excellent shape. Stopping your flow mid stream everyime you urinate is also a great way to locate and workout those P/C. muscles.
For those of use who haven't quite got around to regular exercise (even though we think about it often), SmartBalls are an easy and effective alternative.
With minimal effort, a bit of up front work and monthly maintenance, you can get those PC muscles into shape and intensify your orgasms! A nice 'side effect' to strong PC muscles is the ability to squeeze your partner's fingers or penis.
Pregnancy
During pregnancyand breastfeeding, the body releases hormones that allow the pelvic floor muscles to relax. During this time women can be prone to incontinence. Ideally you will use SmartBalls before getting pregnant with your first child. This will set you up to reduce the risk of incontinence during pregnancy and post natally.
SmartBalls Pre Childbirth
If you are planning on having more children - Now is a crucial stage for early prevention of incontinence as P/C. muscle stretching can be more pronounced with each successive child/
Smartballs and Pregnancy
Smartballs are NOT recommended for use during pregnancy. Get your pelvic floor muscles in shape prior to becoming pregnant as good P/C. muscles before a natural birth encourages quicker recovery of the muscles, improves general vaginal health and can help in greater control when pushing.
SmartBalls Post Childbirth
If you've recently given birth - If you didn't get around to exercising your P/C. muscles before pregnancy, that's okay/ The next most optimum time is from 6 weeks after giving birth (provided everything is all healed up).
If you had one or more children and your P/C. muscles never recovered - SmartBalls can still offer you a good chance of recovering pelvic floor strength! Even if you had your children decades ago, SmartBalls can help/ Good P/C. muscles can support the vaginal walls and help to prevent a prolapsed uterus.
Menopause
During menopause a woman's body produced the same hormones as during pregnancy, and the pelvic floor muscles soften often leading to incontinence. Again it is ideal to get your PC muscles in good shape prior to menopause, if you do not, you may need to use your SmartBalls for a longer time to get them back in shape
Hysterectomy
Women who have had a hysterectomy can sucessfully use Smartballs as your pelvic floor muscles will most likely be intact, SmartBalls will be of great benefit. Depending on how much PC tone you have currently can determine whether you start with SmartBalls UNO or go straight to the ORIGINAL style.
Prolapsed Uterus
Many women who have had a prolapsed uterus may only find it possible to insert one ball, so we recommend using the SmartBalls UNO and plenty of waterbased lubricant. You will get benefit from this. You will be able to work out for yourself if you think you will be able to move to the original, it may not be possible.
What are SmartBalls?
Smartballs were developed in Germany working with a German midwife who is a specialist in incontinence/ She develops progammes for women facing incontinence issues. SmartBalls are based on the ancient Chinese tradition of Ben Wah balls (often made from Jade) - a weighted ball that women wore to strengthen the PC muscles and increase the sexual pleasure of women and their male partners.
Inside a SmartBall, whether it is a single or double set, is a heavy weighted ball. It is the weight of the balls resting on the PC muscles from the inside that stimulates the muscles to contract, giving a woman that inner work out.
The SmartBalls are made from medical grade materials, are completely sealed, hygienic and easy to clean. Washing in a mild soap and hot water is all that is required. DO NOT use any chemicals to clean your balls/ At most use a solution of water and white vinegar for additional cleaning and rinse the vinegar off thoroughly/ Smartballs should last you for several years.
There are 3 sizes of SmartBalls available/ Fun Factory, the company who makes SmartBalls, originally made the SmartBalls Original, a double set of balls weighing 71grams. These are a suitable weight and size for many women with moderate pelvic floor tone.
Customer feedback prompted Fun Factory to develop the Smartballs Uno, a single weighted ball. Some women found the double set to challenging to hold inside (both balls are inserted into the vagina in a similar fashion to a tampon)/ The Uno 42grams is a great introductory model, however for an ideal muscle tone, women should move from the single ball (Uno) to the double ball (Original 71grams or Duo 85grams) as soon as possible.
Smartballs are worn when you are upright, sitting, standing, walking and exercising are all fine as the balls rest upon the muscles/ If you are in a horizontal position, the balls will not rest on the muscles and therefore be ineffective. They are not designed as a sex toy nor are they likely to give a woman and orgasm during use...although they will make your orgasms stronger as the muscles become stronger. An orgasm is after all a delicious and powerful muscles spasm or series of spasms.
The key to a successful recovery of pelvic floor strength and prevention of incontinence is the regular use of the SmartBalls/ Initial every day use for up to a month, then ongoing maintenance one day a fortnight to keep the muscles in shape. If you lapse, just do another concentrated burst and the P/C's will tone up.
Some women find that through jogging or other exercise they get some natural vibration from the balls and the more you move with the Smartballs inserted, the more the muscles will work. However many of us are more sedentary and simply wearing the Smartballs will give you that inner workout/ Do not be concerned if you do not really feel the balls, most women have little sensation above the vaginal opening. Equally if you initially feel internal pressure from the balls, like a weight bearing down, this will ease as your muscle strength improves.
Read through the instructions carefully below/ We recommend reading through customer reviews as they have all sorts of tips to help you get the most out of your Smartballs, this can help you decide whether to use Smartballs UNO, ORIGINAL or DUO/
Which one is right for me?
- SmartBalls Uno are suitable for women who have very compromised P/C. muscles, or who find the double set of SmartBalls to difficult to hold in, they are a good starting point for getting your muscles in shape. We also recommend these for women who have recently given birth or if you have a prolapsed unterus. SmartBalls Original are the ideal weight and many women will only use these over the years, if you started with the Uno Balls these are the next step in getting your P/C. muscles in peak shape.SmartBalls Duo are for the woman who already has good pelvic floor tone and is up for the challenge of these heavier balls, we would recommend these for women who do regular pilates or Yoga or who have already got in shape with the SmartBalls Original.
- The key is regular use. Once you put the SmartBalls inside there is no extra effort required. Ideally you will be wearing the balls inside the vagina for long periods of time so we recommend coating your Smart Balls with a good quality waterbased lubricant, such as Probe, to ensure they move comfortably around inside. Also put a little on the string where it sits inside the body to ensure there is no friction.Choose a time to test drive your Fun Factory SmartBalls when you have some time to yourself and are intending to be at home for at least a couple of hours
- Either sit our stand so that you can insert your Smart Balls into the vagina, and breath deeply to ensure your vaginal muscles relax. Slip the balls inside the vagina. Apply more lube if you need to. Some women find they tense up. Gently massaging the clitoris, with Purr clitoral arousal gel, can make it easier to insert your pelvic floor balls if you are finding it difficult. Make sure that both the balls are inserted and that the string sits outside the body for easy retrieval.Once your Smart Balls are safely inside, just go about your usual routine/ Initially you may feel a slight bearing down internally, however as your PC muscles become more toned this sensation will go away.Wear the balls for a few hours every day for a week or so, building up the amount of time you have them inside/ Your goal is to wear them all day every day or every second day for between two weeks and a month. You should notice the difference and if your partner is a guy, he will notice the improved squeeze on his penis.With a little improved muscle tone, you will be able to wear your balls to work, while exercising, around home...anywhere you please/
- Once you have done that initital work out, you can wear your SmartBalls for a day once per fortnight or more if required, for maintainence. To remove the Smartballs relax your vaginal muscles and gently pull both removal strings. You may need to give a gentle push to help removal. If have any difficulty or find your muscles tense up do not keep pulling the string. Take a few moments to relax, take some deep breaths and try again. Squatting or standing with a leg up on a chair may aid you to gently puch the Smartballs out.
How to use your SmartBalls
We recommend using a water based lubricant or silicone compatible lubricant such as LubeXXX with your SmartBalls Many silicone lubricants are not compatible and can destroy the fabric of your toy. Damage of this kind is not covered by the guarantee/ Your Fun Factory SmartBalls have a 90 day guarantee against manufacturing faults.
You and SmartBalls
Your SmartBalls are made from long lasting medical grade materials and will last you for years. We recommend you use them regularly across the whole of your lifetime, whether you are young or older. For many women they have been life changing, offering relief and freedom. Many women can avoid surgery to by using the SmartBalls.
Luna Beads & the Touche Pelvic Floor Toning System an excellent alternative to SmartBalls
Luna Beads are a pelvic floor toning system that has four interchangeable beads or balls enabling you to increase the weight for increased exercise and stimulation of the P/C. muscles, starting with a single ball and working up to a combined weight of 74gms.
The Touche Pelvic Floor Toning System provides four differing weight option in single ball and double ball format. The Touche system is made from skin friendly materials and is a cost effective and complete PC muscle training system that women can use in the same way as SmartBalls and other alternatives.
Causes of Incontinence in Women
This information was found at : http://www.womhealth.org.au/factsheets/urinaryincontinence.htm
Stress incontinence most often results from weakened pelvic floor muscles which support the bladder and the urethral sphincter muscles. Pregnancy and childbirth are the most common causes of weakened pelvic floor muscles. During pregnancy, hormonal changes and the extra weight and pressure of the baby contribute to weakening. The pelvic floor muscles may also be weakened during childbirth, particularly in a prolonged second stage of labour, if the baby is bigger than 4kg in weight or there is an instrumental delivery. It is estimated that up to 46% of women experience some degree of incontinence during pregnancy, with up to 30% having an incontinence problem following delivery
Pelvic floor muscles weakness can also be caused by the straining often associated with constipation or coughing. Therefore, smokingis associated with stress incontinence as smokers often suffer from chronic coughing. Excess weight is a contributing factor as the pelvic floor muscles are forced to carry a heavier load. It has also been found that some women have a genetic predisposition to pelvic floor weakness.
At menopause the reduction in oestrogen levels can contribute to a loss of tone in the urethra, therefore, affecting its closing pressure. Reduced oestrogen levels also cause the pelvic floor muscles to become less elastic and, therefore, may aggravate existing muscle weakness.
Treatment
Pelvic floor exercises
These exercises are designed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles through actively tightening and lifting them at intervals. Strong, well activated pelvic floor muscles help support the bladder, uterus and bowel. The exercises are designed to work three different parts of the pelvic floor muscles: the muscles that control urine flow; the muscles that control the anal sphincter (muscles around the anus) and the muscles that surround the urethra and vagina. The pelvic floor muscles also interact with the deep abdominal muscles.