General information regarding pelvic floor muscle exercises is usually posited within women’s health– particularly following childbirth.
Data from the Continence Foundation of Australia estimates that “30 per cent of men who visit the doctor are affected by incontinence yet more than two thirds do not discuss the issue. This includes post micturition (after dribble) incontinence, male pelvic floor muscle and prostate issues”.
In this article, we discuss what pelvic muscles are and do, and what exercises men with urinary incontinence issues can do at home.
What are pelvic floor muscles?
Pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles located on the floor of the pelvis which stretch from the pubic bone at the front to the tailbone at the base of the spine.
What do pelvic floor muscles do?
Pelvic floor muscles are important for supporting (and controlling) bladder and bowel function. In other words, they help control urine and bowel movements from the body.
Pelvic floor muscles changes in men’s health
Weight: carrying extra weight puts a greater load on the pelvic floor muscles, placing greater strain on these muscles to support normal function.
Pelvic surgery or radiation (e.g. for prostate cancer): during surgery or radiation treatment for prostate cancer, the pelvic floor is sometimes damaged. This results in urinary incontinence for many men.
Respiratory issues: conditions such as a chronic cough, asthma, bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can result in stress incontinence.
Heavy lifting: lifting too much weight either during work or at the gym, can place added pressure down onto the pelvic floor muscles. This can result in pelvic floor weakness and affect urinary continence.
How men can locate their pelvic floor muscles
Finding out where the pelvic muscles are is essential before commencing exercises. There are 2 main ways to do this.
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Keeping the tummy and bum muscles relaxed, gently try and draw the base of the penis in towards the tummy, like trying to shorten the penis. If that cue isn’t quite working for you, imagine you are about to walk into cold water and at the last second you are going to try and lift the nuts up towards your tummy.
- When in the bathroom passing urine, try to stop the urine mid-stream. You should feel which muscles are working to stop the flow of urine coming out. This activity should be done no more than once a week.
Pelvic floor muscle exercises for men
There are small changes that men can do on a regular basis to see real improvements in pelvic floor muscles and control. Pelvic floor muscle exercises are often known as Kegel’s.
The exercises below are recommended by Men’s Health Physiotherapist, Thomas Harris.
- These exercises can be completed while sitting, standing or lying down- whichever works best for you.
- Keeping the tummy and bum muscles relaxed, gently try and draw the base of the penis in towards the tummy, like trying to shorten the penis. Breathe normally.
- Lift these muscles ‘up’ inside of you and hold for 8 seconds, then relax.
- Remember to squeeze and lift rather than clenching your buttocks.
- Repeat this process for up to 8-10 times to make ‘one set’ of these exercises.
- Best to try and do 3 sets of these exercises daily.
Expert Opinion: Thomas Harris, Men’s Health Physiotherapist, B.Exercise Science, M.Phty.
The pelvic floor muscles play vital roles in our day to day lives and are often underappreciated until something stops working properly. As well as maintaining bladder and bowel function as discussed above, they also play important roles in erectile and reproductive health.
For a detailed assessment of the pelvic floor, physiotherapists now primarily use an ultrasound probe on the area just behind the scrotum to get the most comprehensive look at the muscles anatomy and function. We can then use the ultrasound screen to show men how the muscles are moving, making it easier for them to master their pelvic floor exercises!
This can be an important step for many men who aren’t seeing the desired results from pelvic floor exercises, or those who develop pain doing them. This can be due to incorrect technique, or because the pelvic floor muscles have increased tension and need to learn to relax properly.
For any man that is having troubles in this area, firstly know that you are not alone. Many more men have similar issues; it’s just not a common topic we discuss amongst ourselves. Reaching out for assistance can be the first step into learning more about your own pelvic floor muscles and regaining control.
Resources
For a complete assessment of pelvic floor muscle issues, please speak with a registered continence advisor or a men’s health physiotherapist.
If you are interested in a men’s health physiotherapy appointment with Thomas Harris, please click on the link here.
