Kegel balls are small, weighted devices you insert into the vagina to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. They work by giving those muscles something to grip and hold in place, turning a passive exercise into an active one. Think of them as dumbbells for your pelvic floor. They come in different sizes and weights, and they’re used both for health reasons (like bladder control) and for sexual wellness.
How Kegel Balls Work
Your pelvic floor is a hammock of muscles that stretches across the bottom of your pelvis. These muscles support your bladder, uterus, and rectum, and they control the opening and closing of your urethra and vaginal canal. When you insert a kegel ball, your pelvic floor muscles automatically contract to hold it in place. This reflexive gripping is the exercise itself. You don’t necessarily need to do anything beyond walking around or going about your day while the ball is inserted.
The added weight creates resistance, which makes your muscles work harder than they would during standard kegel exercises (squeezing and releasing without any device). Over time, you can increase the weight or switch to smaller balls that require more muscle engagement to keep in place, progressively building strength the same way you’d add weight at the gym.
Types of Kegel Balls
Kegel balls go by several names: Ben Wa balls, vaginal weights, pelvic floor trainers, or simply kegel exercisers. Despite the different labels, they all serve the same basic function. The main differences come down to size, weight, material, and design.
- Single balls are the simplest option. One weighted sphere, usually with a silicone coating and a removal string, inserted like a tampon.
- Double or connected balls feature two spheres joined together. The added length and weight make them slightly more challenging.
- Progressive weight sets come with multiple balls of increasing weight, letting you start light and build up over weeks or months.
- Vibrating kegel balls combine pelvic floor training with vibration, which some people find makes the exercises easier to stick with.
Medical-grade silicone is the safest material because it’s nonporous, hypoallergenic, and easy to clean. Stainless steel and ABS plastic are also body-safe options. Avoid anything made of porous materials like jelly rubber, which can harbor bacteria.
Benefits for Bladder Control
The most well-supported reason to use kegel balls is improving urinary incontinence, particularly stress incontinence, which is leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise. Stress incontinence happens when the pelvic floor muscles are too weak to fully close the urethra under pressure. Strengthening those muscles restores that seal.
Pelvic floor training is a first-line treatment for stress incontinence, and weighted vaginal devices have been shown to improve outcomes compared to no treatment. They’re especially relevant after pregnancy and childbirth, which stretch and weaken the pelvic floor significantly, and during and after menopause, when declining estrogen thins the tissues and reduces muscle tone in the area.
Benefits for Sexual Function
A stronger pelvic floor often translates to stronger orgasms. The muscles that contract during orgasm are the same ones you’re training with kegel balls. People who use them consistently often report more intense contractions during climax, greater vaginal sensation during intercourse, and improved arousal. Some people also find that the sensation of the weighted ball itself is pleasurable, though kegel balls are designed primarily as exercise tools rather than sex toys.
Pelvic floor strength also plays a role in how “tight” the vaginal canal feels during penetration. This isn’t about the vagina being permanently loose or tight (it’s a muscular canal that expands and contracts), but about your ability to voluntarily squeeze those muscles. Better muscle control gives you more range.
How to Use Them
Start by washing the balls with warm water and mild soap. Apply a water-based lubricant to the ball and to the vaginal opening. Insert the ball while lying down or standing with one foot elevated, the same positions that work for inserting a tampon. Push it in far enough that it sits comfortably, with any retrieval string hanging outside the body.
If you’re new to pelvic floor training, begin with the lightest weight in your set. Wear the ball for 15 to 20 minutes at a time while doing light activities like walking around the house or doing chores. Your pelvic floor muscles hold the ball in place during this time, which is the workout. You can also do intentional squeeze-and-release reps while the ball is inserted: contract for five seconds, relax for five seconds, repeat ten times.
As your muscles get stronger over a few weeks, you can increase wearing time to 30 minutes or longer, move to heavier weights, or try using the balls during more active movement like walking outside or light exercise. Most people see noticeable improvements in muscle tone within four to six weeks of consistent use, training three to four times per week.
Removing Kegel Balls
To remove, gently pull the retrieval cord while relaxing your pelvic floor muscles, similar to removing a tampon. If your kegel ball doesn’t have a string (some Ben Wa balls don’t), you can bear down gently with your pelvic muscles while squatting, and the ball will slide out. Adding lubricant can help if removal feels difficult. A kegel ball cannot get “lost” inside you because the cervix blocks the entrance to the uterus, but stringless designs can occasionally be tricky to retrieve, which is why beginners should start with a ball that has an attached cord.
Safety and Precautions
Clean your kegel balls thoroughly before and after every use. Bacteria can cause vaginal infections if devices aren’t properly sanitized. Store them in a clean, dry pouch or container between uses.
Don’t wear kegel balls during sex, as this can cause discomfort or injury. Avoid using them if you’re pregnant, have a vaginal infection, are recovering from pelvic surgery, or have an IUD without first checking with a healthcare provider, since there’s a small theoretical risk of displacement. If you experience pain rather than mild pressure during use, remove the ball. Pain typically means the ball is too heavy, too large, or positioned incorrectly.
Overtraining is also possible. Pelvic floor muscles that are too tight can cause pain during sex, difficulty urinating, and pelvic discomfort. Stick to the recommended timeframes rather than wearing the balls for hours at a time, and take rest days between sessions just as you would with any other muscle group.
Kegel Balls vs. Standard Kegel Exercises
You don’t need kegel balls to do kegel exercises. Squeezing and releasing the pelvic floor muscles on their own is effective, and many people strengthen their pelvic floor this way without any device. The advantage of kegel balls is that the weight provides feedback and resistance. Many people struggle to identify and isolate the correct muscles during standard kegels, and the presence of a weighted object makes it obvious whether you’re engaging the right area, because the ball will start to slip out if you’re not. For people who have trouble staying consistent, the tangible, physical nature of the device can also make the routine easier to commit to.