Men

Men can have a number of issues related to weakness in their pelvic floor muscles

• Urinary problems
• Unwanted leakage of urine
• Wind or leakage from the bowels
• Impotence

Pelvic floor exercises can help. In particular, they have been shown to be effective following surgery on the prostate and when men experience a dribble after passing water.

A Bit Of Biology

The floor of the pelvis is made up of layers of muscle and other tissues stretching from side to side like a hammock and attached to your tail bone (coccyx) at the back and to the pubic bone in front. The urethra (bladder outlet) and the rectum (back passage) pass through the pelvic floor muscles. The hammock of muscle supports the bladder and the bowel and plays an important role in bladder and bowel control.

Pelvic Floor Muscles Weakness

The pelvic floor muscles can be weakened by:

• Some operations for an enlarged prostate gland
• Regular straining to empty your bowels (maybe due to constipation)
• Chronic cough (e.g. smoker’s cough, chronic bronchitis or asthma)
• Overweight

A lack of general fitness and/or persistent heavy lifting may also contribute in weakening of the pelvic floor

Neurological damage (e.g., after a stroke or spinal injury, or resulting from multiple sclerosis or other conditions) can also produce poor pelvic muscle function. People in this group need to seek advice from a healthcare professional.