Urospot and its team of experts talk about pelvic health.

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I recall seeing some sort of “Kegel chair” on the Netflix series Bling Empire, where the super-rich were having a party and it was one of the featured “activities”. I made a mental note. On the show, they mentioned how it helped strengthen the pelvic region to, you know, tighten up. I had forgotten about it until a recent dinner with two friends (let’s call them Samantha and Charlotte*). As usual, we caught up with all-girl talk…the kids, the next James Bond movie, work, our favourite latest beauty finds, and how we’ve been coping during the pandemic times. At one point in the conversation, Charlotte piped up about having tried some Kegel Chair at a place in Toronto called Urospot. “It’s seriously life-changing!” she told us with excitement. We leaned in and had SO many questions.

She had gone through six sessions with this non-invasive treatment with eye-opening detail. Charlotte had two difficult childbirths that eventually required her to undergo surgery to help repair some of the damage done. Bladder leaks and discomfort in intercourse are common issues that many women face after having childbirth and continue to experience whether they require reconstructive surgery or not. How many women joke about cough, sneezing or laugh leaks? The muscle loss is real.

Within days I was out to meet the founder, Erin Craven, at the Etobicoke location — the first one in the GTA region. She mentioned that pelvic health issues are more common than we realize and often something we are too embarrassed to talk about. Women in particular are suffering silently and don’t know what options exist to help. Sure we were told to do Kegels but how many of us actually do them? This treatment has your body safely doing 11,000 of them within 28 minutes. SAY WHAT? Fascinating. How? Having chatted with Erin for a good hour she suggested that I try the treatment for myself so I can better understand how this scientifically proven technology works.

The clinic is located in a leafy part of Etobicoke that’s easy to get to. It’s modern and clean and everyone makes you feel comfortable. Erin explained that the sessions are 28 minutes in duration and done in privacy. Most people will go through an initial six sessions usually twice a week. Important to know that the sessions are done fully clothed – you’re encouraged to wear comfortable clothing – yoga wear is totally fine. Just so you know, you keep your clothes on. Nothing goes inside you and it doesn’t hurt. You walk out and resume life without missing a beat.

What is it? This ‘Kegel Throne’ or chair at Urospot was created to help strengthen the pelvic muscles by incorporating High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic technology signalling the muscles to involuntary contract without you having to think about it. This technology has been approved by Health Canada and the FDA. Your body will do 11,000 Kegels in 28 minutes, safely and pain-free. Yes, that number is correct.

Who is it for? There are several reasons why women (and some men) seek out treatment here and they come in a wide range in age. Mostly women who are experiencing loss of their pelvic muscles due to childbirth, experiencing pelvic organ prolapse, or even those who have had injuries due to sports. Many women experience bladder leaks (you know, when you cough or laugh and a little pee comes out too? yeah, that!). It also claims to help with urgency, frequency, night waking and yes, sexual functioning. It’s also growing in popularity for men who have gone through prostate cancer treatment and want to rebuild some muscle as well.

When I asked Erin what are the main reasons people come for treatments she said, “Freedom and Confidence”. She often hears about how women worry about things like planning outings around where they have access to clean bathrooms or how they are uncomfortable doing certain activities for fear of uncontrollable leaks. They often will rely on wearing panty liners/pads daily to catch any leakage which is another concern that isn’t necessarily great for your body in the long run. Another reason why women seek treatment? They are stressed about sex with their partners due to discomfort or maybe just loss of muscle and want …er, well, a little tightening up. There I said it.

How does it work? First, there’s a free consultation to see if Urospot is ideal for you. A series of questions are asked to rule out any possible obstacles like if you’ve had recent surgery. During the consultation, you will be able to experience how the Kegel Chair would feel for a few minutes. If you’re comfortable then you’ll be able to book your sessions and get started. Each of the 28-minute visits begins with guided breathing exercises with the staff –not just to calm down before your session but also to be aware of your pelvic muscles. The staff makes sure you’re sitting properly before beginning. Oh, you can also decide on the level of intensity too with each visit. And yes, they have Netflix.Bonus! Each visit also comes with some guidance and valuable information offered by the medical professionals that support this treatment including Dr Laura D. Sovran (Medical Director, Doctor of Medicine MD and Obstetrics & Gynecology from the University of Toronto) who focuses on women’s health. Also on the team is Dr Sinéad Dufour (Physiotherapy Advisor Associate Clinical Professor in Health Science at McMaster University, Professor and Researcher in both the Schools of Medicine and Rehabilitation Science) and known as the “pelvic floor guru” in Canada.

Erin, who left her successful corporate job in the medical industry to start Urospot, was not just interested in bringing this treatment to women as a “quick fix”. She was interested in helping women understand how lifestyle also affects our health …even in THAT region. Education is one of the core values here to help clients regain their confidence.

Erin Craven with Dr Sovran and Dr Dufour

My second session started with a very informative video of Dr. Dufour discussing what is a healthy pee. Now I’m very aware of what I should be working towards from frequency duration, colour and scent. More on that in a separate post.

When do you notice a difference? Again, that varies. But the three of us who have tried (or currently trying) have definitely noticed a difference after the second session. The staff did mention that often women feel an overall tiredness after a session but I haven’t experienced that yet.

What about sex? Erin laughed and said, that’s part of the “homework”. There is no downtime so go ahead and have fun. lol

So, what happens after the six sessions? Erin tells me it’s very individual. Some people may go back maybe once every 6 months or as needed. Some maybe not at all. I’m currently going in once a week as a preventative treatment. Having two c-sections (thankfully because my babies were huge) I had the weight bearing but I didn’t have to push out two watermelons.

Costs? The initial six sessions is $2000. Erin mentioned that some insurance policies will cover partially under physiotherapy so it’s worth looking into.