Does Physical Therapy For Erectile Dysfunction Work?

We know that most guys don’t think to address erectile dysfunction (ED) by seeing a physical therapist. But maybe they should because an increasing amount of research shows that physical therapy for erectile dysfunction, as well as for other penile, urinary and pelvic health problems, can work.

Erectile dysfunction has many causes, and some are best dealt with using medication. But other erectile dysfunction issues may be knotted up in the muscles of your pelvic floor.

How does PT for ED work? Let’s get into it.

Your pelvic floor muscles aren’t different from those in your arms, legs and face: they must be exercised to build and maintain stamina and strength. And strength and stamina are crucial to getting erections. 

Your penis, its muscles and the blood flow you depend on for a proper erection are all connected in complicated ways. Like the rest of your body, these systems — and muscles, in particular — need to be kept in healthy shape to function properly. 

For men, the most important muscles are arguably the ones in your pelvic floor. These muscles are important for bladder and bowel function and even erectile performance.

Pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegels, are often thought of as a sexual health exercise exclusively for women. That couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Kegel exercises aren’t just for women recovering from childbirth or trying to “tone things up” — they can also help you with your erectile function. 

Essentially, the muscles you use to control the flow of urine and the ones that contract during orgasm are all involved in proper erectile function. And you can work them out just by contracting them while sitting, standing or lying down.

A trained physical therapist can give you a wide range of physical therapy exercises, including pelvic floor muscle exercises like Kegels, soft tissue work and more, tailored to your condition. But Kegels are a quick and easy way to get some of the benefits of physical therapy treatment just about anywhere, any time.

There are a surprisingly large number of guides to doing Kegels, but most of them focus on producing the right muscle contractions to build strength and stamina.

Typical physiotherapy for ED instructions will look like this:

• Get into a comfortable position.

• Squeeze your pelvic muscles for five seconds, then relax for five more seconds.

• Continue this pattern for ten reps for up to three sessions per day.

Some practitioners also include breathing exercises to activate and relax muscle groups like the pelvic floor and diaphragm.

A professional can give you more guidance, but at least on paper, pelvic floor physical therapy really is this easy. If you want more tips and tricks, check out our guide to pelvic floor exercises for men.

It’s also painless —if they’re painful, you’re doing them incorrectly.

If you’re wondering whether research supports physical therapy interventions for sexual function issues like ED, the answer is an unqualified yes.

A 2022 systematic review looked at 37 papers and randomized controlled trials and found overwhelming evidence that PT provided a net benefit to patients with sexual dysfunction.

Studies have shown that PT works not just for erectile dysfunction but for premature ejaculation as well. It may help people with premature ejaculation last longer, though further studies are required to figure out the optimal exercise plans.

Research has also shown another crucial benefit of pelvic floor muscle training. In some circumstances, they can help men who have had surgeries like prostatectomies for prostate cancer perform more normally. 

While those results are limited (this study, in particular, looked at exercises alongside electrical stimulation in the terminally ill), the evidence definitely warrants further study.

Manual therapy has also proven beneficial for patients with multiple sclerosis and sexual dysfunction.

The benefits of Kegels and similar forms of PT are pretty well established, but they’re hardly the end-all for effectively treating erectile or pelvic floor dysfunction. 

Primarily, this is because there are many underlying causes of ED that Kegels do not treat. Causes of erectile dysfunction like neurological damage, anxiety, depression and cardiovascular disease require other evidence-based treatments that address the root cause directly (though a treatment plan might include pelvic floor exercises for added benefits).

There are plenty of other ways to treat erectile dysfunction, including medication, therapy and exercise — all of which have proven track records.

Just keep in mind that many of these options have a single thing in common: they’re best executed with the support and guidance of a healthcare professional.

Prescription Medication

One of the most readily available and proven ways of treating ED is medication, particularly a class of medications called PDE5 inhibitors. 

Prescription ED pills like sildenafil (the generic of Viagra®) or tadalafil (the generic of Cialis®) increase blood flow to your penis by relaxing vessels, which makes achieving and sustaining an erection easier. 

You may have to contend with some mild side effects — which you can read about in our guide to what to expect from ED medication — but millions of men every year agree that they’re well worth it.

Exercise and Lifestyle Changes

Traditional physical exercise — the kind you might do in a gym — is another way to improve erectile functioning.

Studies show that for people with certain health conditions like high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease and obesity, as well as those with an inactive lifestyle, a regular exercise program several times a week can lead to measurable improvements in the strength and stamina of your erections. 

Reducing these risk factors for heart disease, along with a healthy diet, cutting back on alcohol and quitting smoking, can improve your overall health alongside your erectile health.

Therapy

You might also want to consider another form of therapy: psychotherapy. 

Problems like performance anxiety can have just as significant an impact on your sexual performance as physical health issues. 

If mental health issues are impacting your sexual activity, you can even consider an online therapy platform to help you get started from the comfort of your bed (while you do those Kegels).

If you want to take some initiative and improve your erectile health on your own time, at work or while watching a football game, Kegels and similar exercises may be a way to make your erections stronger. 

But physical therapy is far from your only effective treatment option:

• If you’re dealing with ED, you’re not going to get the quality of life you want without taking some bigger steps. 

• The first thing to do — regardless of your age, weight or pelvic rep capabilities — is talk to a professional. They can help you identify areas of your health that might be impacting your ability to get erections. 

• They may offer medications like the ones we’ve mentioned, but they can also help you learn exercises, alter your diet and identify habits that could be crushing your erectile potential.

Getting help can come in a lot of forms. Talk to someone to find the right one for you.