Everyone has a pelvic floor that’s located between their tailbone and pubic bone. Your pelvic floor is made up of muscles and ligaments that hold your pelvic organs in place, including your rectum, bladder and bowels. Women also have a uterus that’s supported by their pelvic floor. Women tend to have more pelvic floor issues, as these muscles are weakened from hormones, pregnancy and childbirth. However, that doesn’t mean that men can’t have concerns about their pelvic floor as well.
Pelvic floor exercises work to keep the muscles strong and functional, which is a goal that’s just as important for men as it is for women.
Why men should try pelvic floor exercises
Pelvic floor health should always be a priority in your wellness journey. But how do pelvic floor exercises actually help men? Here are some benefits that they can provide:
- Improved bladder and bowel control — Urinary and fecal incontinence can occur if you have weak pelvic floor muscles, which means that your bladder and bowels don’t have the support needed to properly function. Weakened muscles can increase the risk of having leaks.
- Reduced prostate issues — If you’re experiencing prostate swelling and pain, pelvic floor exercises can help to reduce these uncomfortable symptoms that may be impacting your quality of life. Men with prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia are often recommended to perform pelvic floor exercises.
- Improved sexual function — The pelvic floor muscles play a large role in sexual function. Weakened pelvic floor muscles have been connected to erectile dysfunction, as they help to manage blood flow. Exercises can reduce this issue as well as help you maintain better control over ejaculation.
- Increased flatulence control — Your pelvic floor muscles relax when you pass gas. If they aren’t strong enough, it can result in loud or involuntary flatulence. By strengthening your pelvic floor muscles, you can help control the release of gas, which is often useful in social or quiet settings.
Excel PT can help men gain the benefits of pelvic floor exercises
If you’re experiencing incontinence, having sexual performance issues or loudly passing gas, then it may be time to see a physical therapist at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy to learn pelvic floor exercises. With exercises like Kegels (yes, they’re for men too!), you can improve a variety of different aspects of your pelvic floor health for an improved quality of life.
Call us or request an appointment today to learn pelvic floor exercises for men.