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Millions of women do pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, for better bladder control. They work for men, too.

For decades, doctors have considered Kegel exercises (synonymous with pelvic floor exercjses) that strengthen the muscles of the pelvis to be women's work. Usually first recommended during pregnancy and then prescribed for the rest of a woman's life, pelvic floor exercises make childbirth easier. They also help millions of women avoid stress incontinence, the dribbling of small amounts of urine or the passing of small bowel movements that can cause so much social distress.  And many women report that they improve their sex life.

But pelvic floor workouts aren't just for women any more.

Doctors have discovered that Kegel routines also help treat incontinence in men, as well as erectile dysfunction.

More and more physicians are recommending pelvic floor exercises to men.

The "Backboard" of Men's Sexual and Urinary Health

Urologist Dr. Andrew Siegel, lead author of a review article in the July 2014 edition of the medical journal Urology, told the New York Times "“People do cardio exercises for their heart, and they do strength training and work on their six-pack, but the pelvic floor is neglected. These muscles are the backboard of sexual and urinary health.”

The external anatomy of men and women is different, but both men and women have the same network of muscles in the pelvis. In both sexes, the pelvic floor muscles extend something like a hammock from the pubic bone, underlying the sex organs, to the tail bone. These muscles support the bladder, the bowel, the abdomen, and the back. In males, these muscles redirect blood flow to the penis during sexual arousal. They encircle the base of the penis, and they are tightened during erection and ejaculation.

Pelvic Muscles Can Get Out of Shape, Exercise Gets Them Back in Shape

Just like any other muscles, pelvic floor muscles in both men and women can weaken with age. To strengthen them, men are told told to stop and start the flow of urine when they pee. The same muscles are activated when men tighten up to avoid passing gas in an enclosed space. When these muscles are exercises, the man contracts them for a few seconds, releases, and contracts again. 

Kegel exercises should be done 10 to 20 times a day.

Dr. Siegel has even invented a system he calls a "Private Gym," complete with little weights that can be placed around the based of the penis for resistance training. In addition to weights on a silicone band that can be placed around the penis, Siegel's system includes an instructional DVD.

A Godsend for Men with Shy Bladders

It isn't just older men who can benefit from pelvic floor exercises. Many males of all ages suffer bashful bladder syndrome, an inability to urinate in situations with less than complete privacy. Some men and boys can suffer serious adjustment issues due to their inability to use public restrooms. Doing Kegel exercises gives them the ability to turn on as well as turn off the flow of urine, allowing them to urinate wherever they need to urinate even if they find the activity socially uncomfortable.

Pelvic Floor Exercises For A Man's Sex Life

There is abundant evidence that doing Kegel exercises just a few times a day helps men get control over bladder and bowel function, but the evidence that they help a man's sex life is mixed.

The sexual problem in men most likely to be helped by doing Kegels is premature ejaculation.

Men who want to prolong their erections by delaying climax can do this by tightening pelvic floor muscles; the stronger the muscles, the longer they can hold their erection without ejaculation.

One of the more enthusiastic advocates of pelvic floor exercises as a treatment for erectile function is Dr. Grace Dorey, a retired professor of physiotherapy at the University of the West of England who still supervises research, especially the treatment of incontinence after prostate surgery. Dr. Dorey was quoted in the New York Times as saying "“It’s as good as Viagra, without the costs and the side effects. The pelvic floor muscles provide the base for the erection — for the penis to sit on, if you will.”

Pelvic floor exercises, however, are not for every man. Most urologists recommend:

  • Men who have had lower back injuries usually should not do Kegel exercises, at least until they have consulted with their physicians.
  • Pelvic floor exercises are unlikely to be the whole solution to a man's sexual problem. Weight control, smoking cessation, diet, and blood pressure regulation also make a big difference.
  • In men who have had prostate surgery, however, pelvic floor exercises make a huge difference in recovery time.

Researchers at the University of Alabama conducted an experiment in 2006 that found that men who started doing pelvic floor exercises before their prostate surgery were able to stop using "man diapers" on average 2-1/2 months sooner than men who did not. 

There is also abundant anecdotal evidence, although no formal academic study, that these exercises also help men who have overactive bladder, who need to "go all the time." Pharmaceutical treatment for overactive bladder usually consists of medications that reduce parasympathetic tone, that "dry up" the urinary tract. The problem is that these medications also "dry up" other secretions, such as saliva, sweat, and tears, causing problem dryness all over the body.

So What's Not To Love About Pelvic Floor Exercises For Men?

The man problem most men have with pelvic floor exercises is they can't locate the muscles associated with them. Women typically instinctively know which muscles are involved, while men often have to have their location explained to them.

One way to locate you pelvic floor muscles, if you are a man, is to think of the muscles that are most pressed when you are riding a horse. Or if you haven't ever ridden a horse, go to the toilet, urinate, and stop your flow.

The muscles you have to contract to stop your flow of urine are your pelvic floor muscles.

Or think back to a particularly explosive sexual climax. The muscles that were activated during good sex are the muscles you need to exercise.

Pelvic floor exercises aren't a miracle cure, but they can make a major difference. Results usually take 2 to 3 weeks.

Sources & Links

  • Rabin, RC. Pelvic Exercises for Men, Too. New York Times. 24 July 2014.
  • Siegel AL. Pelvic floor muscle training in males: practical applications.Urology. 2014 Jul. 84(1):1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2014.03.016. Epub 2014 May 10. Review. PMID: 24821468.
  • Photo courtesy of The Pumpkin Theory by Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/celteverett/14005449315
  • Photo courtesy of Wilhei55 by Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/wilhei/405993690

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