By: Caroline Hodges, PTA, Pelvic Floor and Orthopedic Therapist
Calling all men and people with male anatomy! Did you know you have a pelvic floor? ALL people have a pelvic floor! If you are not familiar with this topic, ask yourselves these questions:
Do you have a prostate and/or male genitalia?
Do you have pelvic, perineal, or low back pain?
Are you able to void voluntarily in a toilet?
Are you straining to void or have high urgency or frequency? (voiding more than 8-10 times/day or have a strong sense of urgency)
Do you wake up more than once to void overnight?
Is voiding painful or uncomfortable?
Do you have a weak stream or post-void dribbling that dampens your clothing?
Do you ever have feelings of incomplete bladder emptying?
Do you have bladder leakage and/or wear pads?
Have you had prostate cancer, prostatitis, or pelvic surgery, such as a hernia repair?
If your answer was yes to one or more of these questions, you may be a candidate for pelvic floor rehab! 80% of all men and people with male anatomy will develop benign prostatic hyperplasia/hypertrophy (BPH). This simply means the prostate will enlarge overtime and the extent of this enlargement can vary significantly. The prostate is at the base of the bladder surrounding the urethra and terminates just before the external urethral sphincter. Enlargement of the prostate can constrict the urethra thereby weakening the flow of urine and even making it difficult or impossible to initiate urination.
There are many treatments for pelvic floor disorders, like pelvic rehab therapy. Sadly, our conservative approach is often the last stop for many suffering individuals even though it has been proven to be incredibly effective in resolving pelvic pain to avoid invasive surgeries as well as in pre- and post-operative rehab therapy to improve pelvic floor function, which is responsible for urination, defecation, and sexual function.
If you’re struggling with any of these issues and haven’t found relief, please give us a call! We have one-on-one treatments with an individualized approach that’s custom tailored to your needs and goals.