pelvic floor physical therapy isn’t just for people with internal genitals
I feel like it’s a common misconception that pelvic floor physical therapy is only for those that identify as female or have a third pelvic opening. And, unfortunately, this is how pelvic floor physical therapy is frequently marketed to the public. That only people that have internal genitals (or vaginas) are subject to pelvic floor dysfunction like leaking of urine with a strong urge to urinate or different activities like coughing and sneezing, urinary urgency or frequency, pelvic pain including pain during sex, constipation, and leaking of stool or gas. But this is not true! Everyone has a pelvic floor regardless of your gender identity or expression. This includes people that have erectile tissue (or a penis).
Prevalence of Pelvic Floor Issues in Men
Research shows that as many as 16% of people that have external genitalia have pelvic floor dysfunction…and I believe this number is probably grossly underestimated due to societal stigma for people that do not identify as female to feel comfortable talking about their pelvic floor and ongoing pelvic floor symptoms.
Regardless of your anatomy, everyone poops, pees, and has sex (or will engage in some form of intimacy at some point in their life!).
Male Pelvic Floor Anatomy
As a Board-Certified Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, I wish everyone was educated about their pelvic anatomy. Similar to people with internal genitalia, people with external genitalia have a urethral and anal opening. You still have pelvic floor muscles that wrap around these two openings to help prevent leaking of urine, stool, and gas. On the same note, these muscles also need to lengthen and release to be able to have any form of pelvic penetration pain-free and to be able to empty the bladder and bowels when using the restroom.
Male Pelvic Floor Issues and Conditions
Are you experiencing pain during receptive intercourse? Pelvic pain during bowel movements, urination, the urge to urinate or defecate, or in the abdominal or pelvic region? Difficulty emptying your bladder completely or struggling with constipation? Or maybe you are experiencing urinary urgency or frequency? This could be an indicator that you may have tension in the pelvic floor musculature that could be contributing to your symptoms.
Are you having leaking of urine with different activities like coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercise? Back pain? Or maybe you are struggling with leaking of stool or gas beyond your control during activities of increased intra-abdominal pressure? Sometimes this is an indicator that you could have weakness in your pelvic floor musculature (which can sometimes also be contributed to by excess tension in the muscles) which could be causing your symptoms.
*As always, this is not intended to be medical advice. I would always recommend working one on one with a pelvic floor physical therapist to have specialized treatment based on you, your presentation, and your pelvic floor symptoms.
Have questions or feeling on the fence about whether or not pelvic floor physical therapy is for you? If you’re looking for pelvic floor treatment and you’re located in Durham, North Carolina I would love to work with you! Reach out to me here to tell me a little more about what is going on so we can chat more and get the process started. Live outside of the state of North Carolina? I also offer virtual appointment options to provide more accessible care to those seeking out pelvic floor treatment.
Struggling with a specific pelvic floor condition? Check out my website here to see what issues I treat as a pelvic floor physical therapist.
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Dr. Brook Orvis (she/her) is a Board-Certified Women’s Health and Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, Duke Residency-Trained in Women’s Health, and the owner of Flora Physical Therapy. As a momma to a spirited toddler, she understands the difficulty of being a parent while prioritizing self-care, including caring for your body and pelvic floor. She believes that pelvic floor therapy is for everyone and is passionate about providing accessible treatment options for birthing people, men, women, kids, and the LGBTQIA+ community so that they can take better care of themselves and receive equitable care. She loves educating and empowering clients to take charge of their body and health and to not accept leaking of urine, prolapse, pelvic pain, pain during sex, and core weakness as a normal part of being a human.
