Arnold Kegel

Arnold H. Kegel
Born(1894-02-21)February 21, 1894[1]
Lennox, South Dakota, US[2]
Died1 March 1972 (1972-04) (aged 78)[1]
Alma materLoyola Univ. Chicago (M.D.)
Dubuque Presbyterian (B.A.)
Known forKegel exercise
Scientific career
FieldsGynecology
InstitutionsKeck School of Medicine of USC

Arnold Henry Kegel /ˈkeɪɡəl/ (February 21, 1894[1] – March 1, 1972[1]) was an American gynecologist who invented the Kegel perineometer (an instrument for measuring the strength of voluntary contractions of the pelvic floor muscles) and Kegel exercises (squeezing of the muscles of the pelvic floor) as non-surgical treatment of urinary incontinence from perineal muscle weakness and/or laxity. Pelvic floor exercises are considered first-line treatment for urinary stress incontinence and any type of female incontinence[3] and female genital prolapse,[4] with evidence supporting its use from systematic reviews of randomized trials in the Cochrane Library amongst others. Kegel first published his ideas in 1948.[5] He was Assistant Professor of Gynecology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.[6]

  1. ^ a b c d "Social Security Death Master File info for Arnold Kegel #557-76-6519". 2014. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  2. ^ 1915 Iowa Census,1949 Michigan marriage license
  3. ^ Dumoulin, Chantale; Cacciari, Licia P.; Hay-Smith, E. Jean C. (4 October 2018). "Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 (10): CD005654. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005654.pub4. ISSN 1469-493X. PMC 6516955. PMID 30288727.
  4. ^ Hagen, S; Stark, D (7 December 2011). "Conservative prevention and management of pelvic organ prolapse in women". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (12): CD003882. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003882.pub4. PMID 22161382.
  5. ^ Kegel AH (1948). "The nonsurgical treatment of genital relaxation; use of the perineometer as an aid in restoring anatomic and functional structure". Ann West Med Surg. 2 (5): 213–6. PMID 18860416.
  6. ^ "Do the Kegel - Dr Arnold Kegel". Archived from the original on 26 October 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2010.