16 Apr Kegel Exercises for Men
“My husband is starting to have accidents. I do Kegel exercises. Can men do those too?” – Y.T., St. James, MO
Dear Y.T.,
Absolutely! Just as you can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by performing Kegel exercises, so can he! Men who have bladder incontinence, diabetes, and those who have had their prostate removed can all benefit from Kegel exercises.
They are done in a similar way for men as for women. First, he needs to find the right muscles. To do this, he should stop urination midstream. This will help him feel which muscles need to be strengthened, but once identified, this is not how the exercises should be performed!
Once the muscles are identified, he should tighten those muscles and hold for 3 seconds, then relax for 3 seconds. Work up to doing 10 repetitions, 3 times per day. It’s important to focus on the muscles while doing the exercises – and don’t forget to breathe!
While doing the exercises, he should try not to flex the muscles in his abdomen, thighs or buttocks. We want only the pelvic floor muscles in action! Also, it will take time to strengthen the muscles, just as it takes time to build any muscle in the body.
Once he’s fully accustomed to the exercises, he’ll be able to work on increasing the strength of the pelvic floor almost anywhere and fit the exercises in throughout the day. For more detailed information, feel free to call HDIS at 1-800-2MY-HOME® (1-800-269-4663) or order your Urinary Incontinence in Men brochure here!
Stay Well,
Nurse Allison
More resources:
What are pelvic exercises – HDIS InfoPro
Pelvic muscles control the flow of urine from the bladder. For women, pelvic muscles can be weakened during pregnancy or childbirth. For men, prostate surgery can weaken the same muscle group.
Kegel exercises for men: Understand the benefits – Mayo Clinic
Kegel exercises for men can help improve bladder control. Here’s a guide to doing Kegel exercises correctly.
How to Do Kegel Exercises for Men: Discover Kegel Muscles – MedicineNet
Kegel exercises primarily aid men with urinary incontinence. Besides preventing embarrassing urine leakage, they also decrease the urge to void.
Kegel Exercises for Men: Benefits and How-To Instructions – WebMD
Male urinary incontinence is both preventable and manageable. Kegel exercises can help you take control of your leaky bladder.