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Have you heard of pelvic floor exercises for men? We know, we know, pelvic floor exercises (better known as Kegels) are well known for their benefits among women, but there are just as many benefits for men. These exercises can improve bladder control, erectile function, and more.
Women are often told to do Kegel exercises to strengthen their pelvic floor as they age, particularly after giving birth, which can weaken the muscles that support the uterus, bowels, and bladder. While women may experience urinary incontinence, leakage when they sneeze, problems with bowel control, and more, men may be prone to many of these same issues — and they’re often unaware there’s a solution.
Below, we’ll cover all the potential benefits of Kegels for men and how to perform them. If you’re trying to improve bowel control, enhance sexual function, or recover after prostate surgery, here’s your guide to pelvic floor exercises for men.
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The pelvic floor is a hammock-shaped group of muscles that extend from the pubic bone to your tailbone. You probably don’t even realize it, but you engage your pelvic floor muscles many times throughout the day. These muscles play a role in continence (that is, bladder and bowel control), passing gas, and even sexual function.
Pelvic floor dysfunction in men can lead to urinary or fecal incontinence (aka, urine or stool leakage) and because the pelvic floor also plays a role in penile health, it may cause sexual health issues that can make it difficult to develop and maintain an erection. That’s why healthcare professionals may sometimes recommend Kegels to men to help strengthen their weak pelvic floor muscles.
The exact causes of pelvic floor dysfunction are not fully understood. Many things may contribute to a weak pelvic floor, such as:
Surgery for bladder or bowel issues
Constant heavy lifting
Aging
Constant coughing (like smoker’s cough)
Obesity or overweight
Kegels for men offer several key health benefits. Here are the research-backed reasons to give these pelvic floor exercises a try.
Because we’ve already touched on it, we’ll keep this one short and sweet. Incontinence can be caused by a variety of things — like prostate removal, overactive bladder, and nerve damage because of blood sugar problems (diabetes). If you’re having trouble controlling your bladder, pelvic floor exercises may help.
In one study of men experiencing incontinence after prostate removal, those who performed Kegels saw improvement in bladder control within three to six months.
One study found that 40 percent of men ages 20 and older who experienced erectile dysfunction (ED) regained erectile function after six months of performing pelvic floor exercises and making other lifestyle changes.
While further studies are necessary, Kegel exercises could help improve sexual performance by strengthening the muscles and promoting better blood circulation in the pelvic area. Research has found that pelvic floor exercises can help alleviate premature ejaculation (PE), a condition in which you reach orgasm too quickly to have satisfying sex. Kegels specifically are among the top exercises for PE.
One small study of 40 men found that nearly 83 percent of them were able to gain control of their ejaculatory reflex after 12 weeks of Kegel exercises.
Even more research suggests Kegels are a boon for prostate health, improving outcomes after prostate surgery, including continence issues and quality of life.
Doing a daily routine of pelvic floor muscle training can improve pelvic health and strengthen muscles that have weakened around the rectum, prostate, scrotum and other pelvic organs.
So, how do you do Kegel exercises? Here’s the simple three-step process:
Before starting any Kegel exercises, empty your bladder.
Squeeze and hold your pelvic floor muscles for five seconds, then relax them for another five seconds or so.
Repeat that flow 10 to 20 times, three to four times a day.
Once you start to feel progress, be sure to switch things up. Try doing Kegel exercises while standing, sitting, or even while walking. And once you start, don’t stop — focus and consistency are key.
One quick note: Make sure you’re targeting the right muscles when doing these exercises. Having a hard time “finding” your pelvic floor muscles? When you’re peeing, try to stop the flow of urine mid-stream. That clenching activates your pelvic floor muscles. The correct muscles can sometimes be hard to locate, so if you’re having trouble, a physical therapist or urology specialist can help.
If you’re considering pelvic floor exercises to improve sexual health issues like erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation, there are other treatment options available.
For erectile dysfunction, some of the most popular ED treatments are a class of drugs called PDE5 inhibitors, which work by improving blood flow to your penis. These medications include:
Viagra® (sildenafil)
Stendra® (avanafil)
These are all FDA-approved medications to help you attain harder, longer-lasting erections. Aside from being proven to work on their own, they can also be used in tandem with pelvic floor muscle exercises.
Premature ejaculation treatments include prescription medication like fluoxetine (generic for Prozac®) or over-the-counter benzocaine wipes, which help reduce sensitivity in your penis.
ED and premature ejaculation can be treated together (as they often occur together) with 2-in-1 medications, therapy, behavioral strategies, and more. Connect with a medical expert today to see what’s available.
Even though pelvic floor exercises are often linked to women’s health, men can benefit from them greatly too. Here’s what we know:
Kegels can improve bladder control issues. If you’re incontinent due to surgery or other health issues, pelvic exercises may help.
Pelvic floor exercises may also help improve sexual function. Your pelvic floor muscles also support your erectile function. Strengthen them to help improve ED or PE.
Pelvic floor exercises work well in combination with other treatment options. For the best results, combine pelvic floor exercises with other treatments for ED or PE, such as prescription medication, therapy, or over-the-counter treatments.
Find out more about physical therapy for ED and potential home remedies for premature ejaculation.
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.
Dr. Felix Gussone is a medical content specialist and Medical Advisor at Hims & Hers. Prior to joining Hims & Hers, Felix worked in digital health at Ro, focusing on patient education.
Raised in Germany, Dr. Gussone earned his M.D. from Ludwig-Maximilians-University before transitioning into health journalism and medical education content. He currently leads the medical information content team at an American biotech company.
Throughout his career, Dr. Gussone has used his medical expertise to drive the development of evidence-based health content and patient education materials. He has over 10 years of experience covering a wide range of topics, including health news, diet and weight loss, mental health, and sexual health, for prominent television programs and online publications.
Dr. Gussone has contributed to leading television programs such as CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, NBC TODAY, and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, where he produced and wrote a wide range of health and wellness stories for television and digital outlets that engaged and informed diverse audiences across the United States and abroad. In addition to his work in cable and network health reporting, Felix served as Senior Health Editor at Elemental, Medium’s health and wellness publication, where he led editorial content development focused on science and personal well-being.
Dr. Gussone lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Brooklyn, and enjoys perfume making, scuba diving, roller blading, and traveling. You can find Dr. Gussone on LinkedIn for more information.