Kegel exercises for men are aimed at strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, the pubococcygeus and cremaster muscles, as well as the anal sphincter. They can be beneficial for preventing and combating urinary or fecal incontinence and also hemorrhoids. They may also be prescribed over an overactive bladder or after prostate or pelvic surgery.

Kegel exercises can be prescribed for men to also address sexual problems, like low endurance or performance during sex, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction.

Men can perform kegel exercises every day. If you are just starting, you can consult a physiotherapist, who can assess the current status of the pelvic floor muscles and advise the best exercises on a case by case basis.

When it's indicated

Kegel exercises are typically prescribed for strengthening weak pelvic floor muscles, which can occur as a result of natural aging or health conditions such as:

Prostate surgery
Pelvic trauma or surgery
Bladder surgery
Overactive bladder
Overweight or obesity
Diabetes
Chronic constipation
Chronic cough
Sedentary lifestyle
Lifting heavy objects
High-impact physical exercises
Spinal cord injuries

The pelvic floor muscles are responsible for supporting the bladder, prostate and rectum. Weakening of this area can lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder when urinating, and urinary or fecal incontinence.

How to do kegel exercises

To perform male pompoarism exercises, you must initially:

Identify where your pelvic floor muscles are so that you can make a mind-body connection. This can be done by stopping the stream of urine or contracting your anal sphincter.
Contract these pelvic floor muscles and hold for 3 to 5 seconds.
Relax these pelvic floor muscles for 3 to 5 seconds.
Repeat to a total of 10 contractions and relaxations.
Complete at least 8 to 10 sets of 10 contractions/relaxation every day throughout the day.

Contractions should be as strong as possible. Initially, you may only be able to hold it for 1 second, and with practice this can be improved to several seconds.

Kegel exercises should be performed at least 3 to 10 times a day, every day, to a total number of 300 contractions. Once you learn how to contract the pelvic floor muscles correctly, you can perform them anywhere, while sitting, lying down or standing. At first, it's easiest to start kegel exercises lying on your side.

Health benefits

The main benefits of kegel exercises for men include:

Improving bladder and bowel control
Helping to empty the bladder completely when urinating
Treating premature ejaculation
Increasing blood pressure inside the penis to enhance erections
Treating erectile dysfunction
Increasing ejaculation time
Improving prostate health
Increasing sensitivity in the genital area
Improving sexual performance.

Kegel exercises for men can improve the tension of the pubococcygeus muscle, elevates the testicles, and also strengthens the cremaster muscle and the anal sphincter and, therefore, provides increased sensitivity in the genital region and self-esteem, promoting well-being.

When you'll see results

Men may see the results of kegel exercises within a month of consistent use. When the objective is to treat urinary incontinence, the final results may take 3 months to 12 months, and may require additional physiotherapy interventions.