Earlier in 2015, we introduced the new technology that went into making Elvie - a pelvic floor kegel exerciser for women. Although the device was intially set to launch in March of 2016, Elvie began shipping to the public on October 12th.
Whether you are struggling with incontinence symptoms, just noticing symptoms, or showing no symptoms at all, pelvic floor exercises are right for any woman looking to strengthen pelvic muscles. Along with the co-founder of Jawbone technology, Elive was created with the help of doctors, Dyson engineers, as well as experts from Oxford and Imperial College in the UK. Elvie was also given to 100 women to test and critique, making sure every aspect of design and use were close to perfect.
Why should I strengthen my pelvic floor? Pelvic health is important for all women, not just those with incontinence issues. Pelvic muscles hold other organs such as your bladder in their proper place, helping to prevent pelvic organ prolapse. The muscles also provide support both before and after pregnancy, during menopause, and even benefit sexual function. But it's important to know that if you are experiencing incontinence symptoms, you're not alone. A recent report from the creators of Elvie stated that half of all women who have children experience incontinence issues, and 40 percent of women experience some sort of sexual dysfunction. One other surprising benefit of strong pelvic muscles is stronger support to your spine.
Why should I consider using a pelvic exerciser? Often, experts will suggest strengthening these muscles with Kegels, hip raises, or other pelvic floor exercises. However, compared to other types of exercise, Kegels are notoriously hard to learn and hard to monitor. Up to 3 out of 10 women also unintentionally push down while performing Kegels instead of pulling up, which can lead to further injury of the muscles. Elvie helps to tackle these problems by linking to a specially designed app. The app provides workout programs in real-time that let you watch your progress as you perform the exercises, as well as allows you to track your results over time.
The best part about Elvie's integrated technology is the impact it may have to shape the way pelvic exercisers are designed in the future. To further introduce you to this technology, here are some top ways Elvie is different from other exercisers on the market today:
Kristina Brooks, Editor - WebMD
