Yep - Men have a pelvic floor too. It’s time for our menfolk to sit down and take note on how to look after their pelvic floor and take control of their bladders.
For far too long men have been neglected when it comes to discussing pelvic floor exercises and many feel that they have to put up with dribbles and frequent toilet trips. Dr Pauline Chiarelli is changing that with this fabulous DVD, which gives honest, accurate advice about keeping the male pelvic floor strong and healthy.
There are a number of causes of incontinence in men; surgery or radiography on the prostate, bladder and surrounding area, certain types of prescription drugs, chronic constipation or diarrhoea, or simply the body’s natural aging process where muscles and sinews become weaker. Although dribbles and leaks in men over 60 are common, many people may be surprised to learn that 1 in 10 men under 60 suffer from some kind of incontinence too; it’s just that they don’t tend to talk about it.
Incontinence can occur in a variety of forms. It may be dribbles or leaks if the urethra loses pressure and cannot stop the flow of urine from the bladder. It may be that you have trouble emptying the bladder fully and consequently have leaks when leaving the bathroom. Or it may be that you have the urge to go to the loo all the time and feel like you cannot hold on.
Since the pelvic floor muscles support the bladder and surrounds all the muscles which control it, it’s important to tone these muscles up to give you back greater control. Although many women know how important it is to ‘do your kegels’, many men don’t know what they can do to beat bladder weakness and are completely unfamiliar with the sensation of a proper lift and squeeze.
Kegel exercises for men aren’t as hard as you may think; did you know you can visually see when you are correctly squeezing your pelvic floor? If you stand in front of a mirror and do your kegels you will see the tip of the penis lift up and back and the scrotum retract upwards. This makes it incredibly easy for men to see exactly how long they can hold a good strong kegel for, and from this you begin to find your ‘baseline’; the length of time you can hold one squeeze and the number of repetitions of these squeezes you can do. With your baseline in mind you will aim to match or improve on this every day when you do your kegel exercises.
Dr Chiarelli guides you through the best positions to adopt when exercising, how to build up your daily exercise plan and how you can avoid leaks and dribbles during key moments which tend to put pressure on the pelvic floor such as heavy lifting, coughing and sneezing. She advises that at these moments you should squeeze your muscles as hard as you can before the strenuous moment, and not relax until afterwards. Not only will this stop the dribbles, it’s also a great way to incorporate your kegel exercises into your daily routine without really having to think about it.
Pelvic Floor Exercises For Men is a valuable DVD for men with specific bladder problems they want to beat, concerns about how their body will change after surgery or radiography, or simply any man who knows their bladder isn’t under control. It gives clear, concise and effective information that can give you and your pelvic floor a new lease of life.
Don’t put up with bladder weakness; get familiar with your pelvic floor and regain confidence and control.