Kegel exercises refer to the voluntary squeezing of the pelvic floor muscles as non-surgical treatment for muscle weakness and/or laxity. Kegel exercises were invented by Dr. Arnold Henry Kegel (February 21, 1894 – March 1, 1972), an American gynecologist who noted that women’s pelvic floor muscles were weakened by childbirth. When these muscles are weakened, women may experience urinary incontinence (urine leaks), loss of sensation in the vagina, and even vaginal prolapse.