Mens Health: How can Physiotherapy Improve your Pelvic Floor

Men’s Health Physiotherapy + Pelvic Floor

Did you know that 1 in 8 Australian men will suffer from urinary incontinence at sometime throughout their life and 1 in 5 Australian men will suffer from faecal incontinence?

Pelvic Floor Muscles and Incontinence are usually a topic most often discussed with women, particularly pregnant or postnatally. However, men do indeed have pelvic floor muscles. Your pelvic floor helps to control bladder and bowel, and your sexual health. Therefore, if you have concerns in this area, pelvic floor exercises can be a key component; whether it is pelvic pain, incontinence, prostate syndromes or sexual dysfunction.  This is where physiotherapy can assist you to train your pelvic floor appropriately.

Studies suggest that a Neuromuscular relationship with your pelvic floor is a valuable treatment method for syndromes aforementioned. Please see below for some simple tips to familiarise yourself with your pelvic floor.

Male Pelvic Floor

1. Identifying where your pelvic floor muscles are is step number one in this process. See below for a simple visual of where your pelvic floor sits. As you can see it is deep, internal muscles which surround your pelvic organs. This is why it plays such a big role with your urinary, bowel and sexual system.

2. Activation of your pelvic floor (trial a few cues / suggestions in contracting the correct muscles):
   1. Stopping your urine flow and recommencing. Next time you are urinating see if you can stop your flow for a few seconds, and recommence to a steady flow
   2. Stopping a ‘fluff’ as don’t forget your pelvic floor travels through and around your back passage
   3. Think about lifting your scrotum up – think about stepping into icy water and that feeling – you can look in the mirror to see if this is happening
3. Correct activation and how much? So now you should know where your pelvic floor is and can identify to an extent that you are switching on the right muscles. Now you need to be completing correct technique, for an effective length of time.

• Start with focusing on the lift component. Think about tightening around the base of your penis and anus to lift your scrotum up and in. Your stomach muscles shouldn’t activate that much through this. It really won’t feel like you are doing much because they are small, deep endurance muscles. Breathing is important.
• A nice technique to practise is inhale engage, exhale slowly release, or inhale engage, exhale maintain, pause and let go repeat. Like any exercise program after you have correct activation you then want to get stronger – your program will need to include endurance, strength and power.

When do I need to see a Mens Health Physiotherapist?

Do you gave difficulty with:

• Accidental Leakage of urine and bowels
• A urgent bladder or bowel
• Difficulty emptying your bladder or bowel
• Pain during pelvic floor exercises or intercourse
• Sexual Dysfunction

If you have further questions regarding Mens Health Physiotherapy care, please contact The Physio Movement.