The ProSTATE Of Affairs

Prostate

Do Men Need to Work Their Pelvic Floor Too? 

Both men and women have biceps, quads, and most other muscles, so why would working this very important group of muscles be important only to women?  Think of the pelvic floor as a group of muscles that act as support and stability for the base of the core—these muscles attach to the spine, hips and around the pelvis, and they blend very directly with the lower abs, oblique abdominals, and deep back muscles.  If you are working your pelvic floor muscles with your other core training, you will build a better, stronger core!

Breathing very much influences how these muscles move.  When we inhale, our diaphragm lowers and the pelvic floor descends and relaxes.  With exhalation, the pelvic floor contracts and raises with the diaphragm, and the lower abdominal and deep back muscles contract to squeeze around the spine and pelvis.  If exercising lower abdominal muscles, there is a better and more efficient contraction if we exhale and engage pelvic floor muscles at the same time!

Let’s Talk Prostate!

We can’t talk about the male pelvic floor without mentioning the prostate.  The prostate gland sits right below the bladder wraps around the urethra, which is the tube that drains urine from the bladder. If the prostate is enlarged, it can squeeze around the urethra and limit the flow of urine.

If the prostate has to be removed or have other treatments to manage issues at the prostate, many men will be incontinent for a time.  Working the pelvic floor muscles will help to build more external support around the urethra, along with proper “core“ breathing and strengthening other parts of the core, will help to restore continence in men faster than if men do nothing.  There is much that can be done for men to improve or fix their continence issues after prostate surgery, and it all begins with the pelvic floor!

How To Do A Proper Plank

There has been plenty of conversation lately around doing plank exercises after age 50—is it safe?  What is the effect of estrogen depletion of skeletal muscles? Can doing planks to strengthen the core actually cause a prolapse of the pelvic organs?

The answer is a resounding NO—planks can continue to be a great strengthening exercise, but there is more to it than that.

  1. Like any other exercise you would ever do, your form really matters.  Don’t start planking at a level that is beyond where you are. Start on your knees or a modified version and progress onto your toes as your strength improves.
  2. Make sure that you are engaging your pelvic floor muscles while you are holding your plank—meaning that you have to know that you are engaging them properly, and remember to breathe as well
  3. You have not become fragile when you reach age 50, or beyond for that matter! Decreasing levels of estrogen in your body has been shown to reduce the strength in our skeletal muscle.  Let’s not forget that general inactivity, at any age, will also decrease strength in our skeletal muscle. There is also evidence to show that we can still build muscle when we age, and everybody should do this!
  4. When you stop challenging your body physically, you WILL get weaker over time.  That is the same for all muscles.  Many people have weak pelvic floor muscles because they don’t work them specifically unless they have developed a problem! So if you are starting to plank (at any age), you should have a pelvic health physiotherapist assess you if:
    1. You leak urine while holding a plank
    1. You feel a heaviness or pressure in your pelvic floor after planking
    1. You can’t hold good form
    1. You are experiencing back or hip pain to do a plank

HOW TO DO A PROPER PLANK:

  • Keep your body in a straight line, whether you are on your knees or your toes
  • Tuck your pelvis under
  • Stack your elbows under your shoulders
  • Think about pushing away the floor with your elbows
  • Squeeze your glutes hard!
  • Keep your hips level: don’t let them sag or rise up
  • Remember to breathe