Men's Pelvic Health Physiotherapy - Your Questions answered

While there is increasing awareness of women’s health issues, the importance of their pelvic floor muscles, and how pelvic health physiotherapy can assist with many conditions, the same isn’t true for men.

Many men aren’t aware that they have pelvic floor muscles, but here are some interesting statistics.

• 1 in 10 men may experience pelvic floor or continence issues during their lifetime
• Up to 70% of men suffer from urinary incontinence following prostatectomy surgery
• 1 in 5 men suffer from erectile dysfunction in the UK (more than 20% of men under 40 years of age and more than 52% of men over 40 years of age)
• 16% of men over 18 have overactive bladder
• 5-10%  of men suffer from pelvic pain

We answer some of the most common questions asked…

What men’s health conditions can Pelvic health Physiotherapists treat?

The most common conditions we see are:

• Stress Urinary Incontinence
• Overactive Bladder
• Erectile Dysfunction and Ejaculatory Dysfunction
• Pain in the groin, pelvis, bowel, or genitals
• Pre-and Post-operative care for Prostate surgery

What happens during a session?

The initial consultation will include a lengthy subjective assessment where we explore your symptoms and concerns and ask questions relating to your bladder, bowel and sexual function. We then move on to the objective assessment, which may involve an internal rectal examination, to assess the pelvic floor muscles. However this is not always necessary, and if someone is uncomfortable with an internal examination, we can assess the pelvic floor externally or using real time ultrasound on the abdomen. However, this method gives us slightly less information about the pelvic floor. At all times, clients are covered for privacy and modesty. A chaperone can also be requested by either the client or therapist, though this will have to be arranged in advance.

What does treatment entail?

Treatment includes an explanation of your diagnosis and the treatment plan. If the pelvic floor muscles are weak, you will be given a tailored exercise program. If pelvic floor muscles are overactive, treatment may include breathing exercises and pelvic floor relaxation. It may also include manual therapy to the pelvic floor, lower back and hip joints/muscles. It will include education and advice on lifestyle modifications and strategies on self-management.

Do you need to be referred by a consultant?

No, that’s not necessary. Most of our men’s health clients are self-referred, though some are referred by a urologist. If you haven’t seen a consultant and the physiotherapist feels that you would benefit from further investigations, we can refer you to a relevant urologist or consultant.