Do Men Have A Pelvic Floor?

By Erica Whaley, OT

Short answer? Absolutely!

As pelvic floor therapists, we get asked this question all the time, and the short answer is: yes!  All people of all genders have a pelvic floor.  Let’s dive a little more into what the pelvic floor is and why it matters - no matter what your sex is.

1. What is the Pelvic Floor?

2. Pelvic Floor Symptoms in Men

3. Support for Pelvic Floor Symptoms

   
   

What is the Pelvic Floor?

The “pelvic floor” refers to a group of muscles in and around the pelvis.  There are superficial muscles that are closer to the surface, as well as deeper muscles within the pelvic girdle.  These muscles are very similar regardless of sex, so yes - men definitely have them too!  These muscles are responsible for several important roles in the body, including bowel and bladder continence and function, sexual function, pelvic organ support, hip and pelvic stability, and managing pressure throughout the abdominal cavity.  It is important that they have good strength, mobility, and coordination to allow for optimal pelvic functioning.

The pelvic floor muscles also work closely and share neurological connections with several other muscle groups in the body including the hip muscles, abdominals, breathing diaphragm, feet, and even the jaw.  Pelvic floor function can be significantly impacted by tension or weakness in these muscle groups, so it is important to assess several areas of the body when determining the root cause of pelvic floor dysfunction.

Pelvic Floor Symptoms in Men

As pelvic floor therapists, there are many common symptoms that we treat when working with men.  If the pelvic muscles are tight, we might hear reports of symptoms like:

• pelvic pain (at the tailbone, abdomen, hips, perineum, testicles, or penis)

• muscle spasms in the pelvis, abdomen, or hips

• urinary urgency and frequency, weak urine stream, urinary hesitancy or retention, or post-void dripping

• constipation, incomplete bowel emptying, gastrointestinal difficulty and bloating

• sexual dysfunction like difficulty or pain with erections or ejaculation, or changes in sensation/sensitivity

• pain with sitting for long periods of time, or the feeling of “sitting on a golf ball”

Conversely, if the pelvic muscles are weak, we might hear symptoms like:

• urinary or bowel leakage with sneezing, coughing, heavy lifting

• difficulty controlling bowel continence or gas

• pelvic heaviness, poor pelvic stability with movement or exercise

Oftentimes, patients come in with a combination of several symptoms, and may have pelvic muscles that are tense, weak, and discoordinated.  Pelvic floor therapists are specialists in being able to provide holistic assessments and develop a personalized, targeted treatment plan for improvement.

Support for Pelvic Floor Symptoms

Does any of this sound familiar?

Learn more about men's pelvic health or give us a call at Wellest - we’d love to help.  Our therapists are experienced with working with all genders and we want you to be comfortable, confident, and symptom-free.

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