“Kegels” and pelvic floor exercises are often associated with “women’s business” – think pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. But men also have pelvic floor.
Like women, at various times in their lives men can benefit from training the pelvic floor to address a variety of health issues. About 30% of men who visit the doctor have urinary incontinence or bladder leaks, but a large majority do not mention it. About 15% of men also suffer from fecal incontinence, or intestinal leaks, and take longer to seek help compared to women.
The pelvic floor muscles are also involved in sexual function. Erectile dysfunction affects about 10% of healthy men and up to almost 40% of men with chronic diseases, and may be associated with pelvic floor problems.
Sometimes people assume that these problems are just a normal part of aging; but common does not mean inevitable. There are often many improvements with some simple strategies, including pelvic floor rehabilitation.
Pelvic floor dysfunction in men is very common
Although pelvic floor problems are more common in women, one in eight men has problems with the pelvic floor, bladder, or bowel.
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that covers the base of the pelvis. For men, this supports the bladder, prostate and intestine. It is essential for maintaining central stability, bladder and bowel control, and for erectile function and sexual satisfaction.
Most men have little reason to think about their pelvic floor for most of their lives, until something goes wrong medically (compared to women, who usually start pelvic floor exercises at a much younger age). , often in the context of pregnancy and childbirth). .
Working the strength of the pelvic floor could even improve your sex life. Shutterstock
Read more: Playing with the pelvic floor can be a useful exercise for urinary incontinence
Why does it happen
Risk factors for incontinence and pelvic floor problems in men include aging, prostate problems, pelvic surgery, intestinal problems such as constipation, chronic cough, frequent heavy lifting and being overweight.
Prostate cancer affects up to 15% of men and is the second most common cancer in men (and the fourth most common cancer in general).
The largest source of pelvic floor physiotherapy references for men is usually in the context of prostate surgery. This is because surgery on the prostate gland (which is located very close to the base of the bladder) causes trauma to nearby structures and nerves that maintain control of the bladder and erectile function.
However, we know that early pelvic floor training (starting before surgery) means that postoperative side effects such as incontinence resolve more quickly.
Read more: Bacterial Prostate Cancer, Increasing Hope for New Tests and Treatments
How can men exercise the pelvic floor?
To connect the pelvic floor, the sensation should be felt as a compression, lifting, and relaxing of the muscles running between the pubic bone, the coccyx, and the seated bones. Some popular clues include visualization:
- stop the average flow of urine (but don’t really do it)
- holding on to the wind
- penis / testicle retraction
- pulling the perineum (skin between the genitals and the back step) away from the underwear.
It is important to make sure that the abdominal, gluteal (buttocks) and thigh muscles are kept relaxed, keeping breathing throughout the process.
Exercises can be done in any position and, if done right, should be able to be done discreetly (even when there are other people around!). But it is quite common to find exercises difficult to do without a little training.
Working with a health professional as a pelvic floor physiotherapist can be beneficial. Physiotherapists trained in men’s health and pelvic floor conditions will teach clients how to perform the exercises correctly. They often do this with biofeedback devices such as real-time ultrasound images that can help identify the right muscles to use and perfect the technique.
Not all pelvic floor problems require more reinforcement. Optimal muscle function requires good strength, but also good time, coordination and relaxation.
Too tight a pelvic floor can be problematic for both men and women, and can contribute to symptoms of pelvic or genital pain, sexual dysfunction, urinary problems such as overactive bladder, and intestinal problems.
Your specific concerns will inform you of how your physiotherapist may prescribe exercises, but the good goals to achieve are to be able to:
- turn the pelvic floor on and off 10 times in 10 seconds
- Hold hard for 10 seconds, repeat 10 times
- keep an easy prey for 1 minute.
Read more: Technology for incontinence has not been developed as much since ancient Egypt
If I don’t have pelvic floor problems, should I exercise?
Just as a good gym program keeps you in optimal physical health and helps prevent injury, it is reasonable that a regular pelvic floor training routine can serve to combat the likelihood of bladder, bowel dysfunction. and erection. However, the literature is scarce for preventive use in asymptomatic men.
Knowing where your pelvic floor is and how to do it right can never be bad, and training can even have some happy side effects, such as reducing waking up at night with the need to urinate, reducing dripping after urination, better bowel emptying. , and improves sexual satisfaction.
If you are not sure if your pelvic floor exercises are right for you or if you do them correctly, consult a trusted health professional.