Pelvic floor for men
The floor of the pelvis is made up of layers of muscle and other tissues. These layers stretch like a hammock from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone in front. A man's pelvic floor supports his bladder and bowel. The urethra (urine tube) and the rectum (back passage) pass through the pelvic floor muscles.
A man's pelvic floor muscles can be weakened by:
- prostate gland surgery
- straining to empty your bowel (constipation)
- heavy lifting
- a cough that goes on for a long time (such as smoker's cough, bronchitis or asthma)
- being overweight
- not being fit
The pelvic floor muscles are important for bladder and bowel control. They also help sexual function. It is vital to keep your pelvic floor muscles strong.
The first thing to do is find out which muscles you need to train. When you feel the muscles working you can start pelvic floor muscles training.
What can I do?
For a step by step guide on how to train your pelvic floor muscles have a look at:
- Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for Men Factsheet - Department of Health and Ageing.
