The male pelvic floor is no different than the female pelvic floor. It is the pelvis with the hips attached to the sides, and the spine attached above that can vary. The pelvis consists of the 2 sacroiliac joints in the back, connecting the ilium to the sacrum, which forms pubic symphysis in the front making up the pubic bone.
(courtesy of https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/)
If you think of the pelvis like a bowl, the bottom of the bowl is referred to as the pelvic floor and that is where in males, the penis, anus, and the area between the two lies. Just like a bowl, the bottom of the bowl does not exist without the sides and the sides of the pelvis are directly connected to the bottom of course. That is the reason why pelvic floor therapy is a misnomer because it should be pelvis therapy instead!
What Are The Symptoms of Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
If pelvic floor dysfunction was the name of a book, there would be many chapters to the book. Male pelvic floor dysfunction can have many symptoms such as:
- Urinary incontinence
- Fecal incontinence
- Pain in the penis
- Pain in the scrotum
- Sexual dysfunction
- Hard flaccid
- Erectile dysfunction
- Chronic lower back pain
- Chronic sacroiliac joint pain
- Poor posture
- Hip pain
- Pain walking
- Tailbone pain
What Are The Signs of Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
The signs of pelvic floor dysfunction can range from obvious to very subtle. When it comes to the subtle signs, years can go by and you may be seeing all different kinds of medical specialists that consider your symptoms subtle and not even think about pelvic floor dysfunction on the horizon. I can comfortably tell you that all cases of chronic lower back pain, hip pain, sacroiliac pain, and injuries to those areas, when not treated with functional movement in mind WILL lead to pelvic floor dysfunction!!
How Is Male Pelvic Floor Therapy Treated?
In most cases, male individuals don’t seek care until the symptoms are severe and most likely involve their penis or their sexual function. In this case, most treatments almost always involve internal manual therapy through the rectum with some breathing exercises. To me, it makes no sense to work on a ‘floor’ when the ‘house is unstable. I suggest, when it comes to male pelvic floor dysfunction, assessing the whole body and movement for stability using Postural Neurology and Functional Movement exam. I look to see how stable the pelvis is because the pelvic floor is the floor of that ‘house’.
The most comprehensive treatment for male pelvic floor dysfunction (see the recommended reading below) which is what we do at our clinic includes:
- Behavior and lifestyle modification
- Postural neurology
- Functional movement
- Kegels? If so, using the Emsella Chair treatment
- Breathing
- Internal manual work
Male pelvic floor dysfunction is no different than in females and should be taken seriously. If you suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction, contact the office today.
Dr. Shakib
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