Kegel exercises and muscle tone

[IAskQuestions2]

I was wondering if anyone has any information on how effective these exercises could be, in regard to increasing muscle tone at the vaginal opening. I've read mixed things a few people here say that it will have no affect on younger people, I was wondering why this was?

[Karyn]

The reason that kegel exercises generally won't have any noticeable effect in younger people is that younger people pretty much have all the pelvic floor muscle tone they're going to get. Unless they have given birth vaginally, or something else has happened to affect the tone of those muscles, there isn't really anything for kegel exercises to do.

[IAskQuestions2]

Like any muscle surely it can be built, no?
I always thought that is how women did vaginal weights, they increase muscles size/strength irrespective of age and childbirth status.
I recently read an article posted how cheerleaders should be strengthening their muscle tone to prevent incontinence, it talked about how they could strengthen it, as well as how the effects it could have for them during sexual intercourse.

[Keda]

Why did the article think cheerleaders would be at particular risk of incontinence? I just wonder because it sounds a bit like The Onion to me.

[IAskQuestions2]

Cheerleading puts more strain on those particular muscles.
Cheerleaders have some of the worst levels of incontinence. It spoke about how these muscles could be built to prevent the problems that could occur with cheerleading. It also spoke about the sexual benefits that may also occur.