When people think of kegels—if they think of them at all—they associate them with women. But did you know that older men can also benefit from pelvic floor muscle-strengthening exercises? For men, they can help with some common issues associated with age, including urinary leakage, bowel issues, and erection problems.
About The Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor is made up of thin layers of muscle and tissues that stretch like a sling from the tailbone to the pubic bone. The muscles’ primary function is to support the abdomen, bladder, and colon and facilitate urine and bowel movements. In men, these muscles are also called upon during erections, orgasms, and ejaculations. If the pelvic floor muscles become too weak or too tight, problems arise.
What Causes Pelvic Floor Weakness
Age is the main culprit of weakening of these muscles, but other causes include bladder, bowel, or prostate surgery, constipation, and chronic coughing. Too-tight pelvic floor muscles are usually the result of prolonged sitting, muscle tension, stress, and musculoskeletal problems with the back and hips. When these muscles are too tight, they can trigger pelvic pain, urgent and frequent need to urinate, urine leakage, incomplete emptying, or straining during bowel movements. There might also be sudden pain in the lower back, hips, or genital area, or pain during and after intercourse.
How Kegels Can Help
As with any other muscle, the pelvic floor muscles must be strengthened to remain healthy. That’s where kegels come in. The beauty of kegels? They can be done anywhere—while lying down, sitting behind a desk at work, or standing in the grocery checkout line. Think about how to stop the flow of urine. The goal is to contract and hold only the pelvic floor muscles.
Before starting a kegel program, make sure there are no medical issues, such as prostate problems or a urinary tract infection. Then meet with a physical therapist who can teach proper technique and design an individualized routine, typically consisting of a set amount of hold time followed by rest between reps.
Then head home and get to work. Get a jumpstart in the car!
