Pelvic Floor PT For Men

Pelvic floor issues are often only thought of as affecting women, but men have pelvic floors, too! Learn more about men's pelvic health and how pelvic floor dysfunction affects men below.

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What Is Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction—and Why Does It Matter?

Yes, men have pelvic floors too. And when those muscles aren’t doing their job, it can lead to symptoms that feel confusing, frustrating, or just plain annoying.

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports your bladder, bowels, and sexual function. It also plays a role in posture, movement, and how your body manages pressure. When something’s off, like too much tension, not enough strength, or poor coordination, it’s called pelvic floor dysfunction, and it can show up in all kinds of ways.

Leaking urine. Constipation. Pain in your hips or tailbone. Trouble starting your stream. That weird pressure you can’t explain. These things aren’t “just part of getting older,” and they’re not something you have to live with.

At Sage Physical Therapy, we help you understand what’s going on and what to do about it. Through pelvic floor physical therapy, we look at how your muscles are working, how they’re reacting to stress, and how everything connects. Your care might include breathwork, movement strategies, internal or external work, and simple tools that make a real difference.

You don’t need to guess your way through symptoms or keep pushing through discomfort. We’ll help you figure it out, with male pelvic care that’s practical, supportive, and actually works.

How Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Shows Up in Men

Pelvic Pain

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles, just like the ones in your neck, shoulders, or back. And like any other muscle group, it can hold tension, develop trigger points, or become overworked. Similar to when you may have experienced a pulled muscle in your neck that makes it hard to look over your shoulder, your pelvic floor can hold on to tension and tightness that causes pain when it's working to support you throughout your day. Your pelvic floor physical therapist at Sage PT will get to the root of that tightness to eliminate your pain for good, give you strategies to help you keep it away, and empower you to get back to life unlimited by pain.

For men, pelvic pain can show up in a lot of ways, such as aching near the tailbone, pressure in the perineum, pain with sitting, or discomfort during sex or after exercise. These symptoms are often connected to tension in the pelvic floor muscles, poor coordination, or overactivity in the nervous system. Through pelvic floor physical therapy, we address what’s behind the pain and help restore better movement, control, and comfort. It’s not just about managing symptoms of male pelvic floor dysfunction; it’s about giving your body the support it needs to move and feel better.

Bladder Issues

When the pelvic floor isn't working correctly, this can lead to issues with one of its primary functions: bladder control. Men may suffer from difficulty starting or completing their urine stream, pain with urination, or increased frequency or urgency of urination. Pelvic floor issues can also lead to urinary incontinence (leakage) and drops of urine leaking after urination (post-void dribble). Your pelvic floor physical therapist at Sage PT will identify what is not working right in your pelvic floor and give you the tools you need to fix it.

These symptoms can be signs of male pelvic floor dysfunction or urinary dysfunction, especially when the pelvic floor muscles are too tight or not coordinating well with the bladder. At Sage PT, we use pelvic floor physical therapy to retrain those patterns. Your therapy might include movement strategies, breathing work, kegel exercises (and when not to do them), and nervous system support to improve how your bladder and pelvic muscles work together. You shouldn’t have to plan your life around the bathroom, and pelvic floor rehab can help.

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Constipation and/or Painful Bowel Movements

Your pelvic floor plays a big role in having healthy bowel movements. Once stool reaches the rectum, it needs to pass through the pelvic floor in order to have a bowel movement. The pelvic floor needs to be able to stretch enough to pass the stool, strong enough to pass it, and coordinated well with the core to do all of this at the right time. If all of this isn't happening well, it can lead to painful bowel movements, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, proctalgia fugax (spasms of the external anal sphincter), and constipation. If you're suffering from any of the above, your pelvic floor physical therapist at Sage PT will identify what isn't working quite right and help you get back to normal.

In men, bowel dysfunction often connects back to tension, weakness, or poor timing in the pelvic floor muscles. If your muscles are gripping when they need to let go, or not activating at the right time, it can lead to straining, incomplete emptying, or painful symptoms. With pelvic floor physical therapy, we focus on retraining those patterns. Your therapist may guide you through positional work, breath strategies, pelvic floor muscle coordination, and tools to support more ease with every bowel movement. You don’t have to live with discomfort; we’ll help you understand what’s going on and how to fix it.

Chronic Prostatitis

Did you know that chronic prostatitis can actually be due to pelvic floor dysfunction? This condition can be painful, frustrating, and deeply impact your quality of life. Once your medical provider has cleared you of an acute infection, persistent symptoms are often due to tightness and compression in the pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor physical therapist at Sage PT will identify your specific tightness, weakness, and nerve conditions to help eliminate pain and get you back to normal.

For many men, lingering symptoms like pelvic pain, urinary urgency, burning with urination, or pressure in the perineum are actually signs of male pelvic floor dysfunction, not prostate infection. When the pelvic floor muscles are tight, irritated, or not working in harmony, they can compress the nerves that pass through the pelvis, mimicking prostatitis. Through pelvic floor therapy, we help reduce tension, restore mobility, and support the nervous system.

Post-Operative Care

Procedures and surgeries in the pelvic region can fix many problems, but can also leave behind their own problems. Build-up of scar tissue in the pelvic region can lead to pain, swelling, and mobility restrictions, which can then lead to pain, bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction. Surgeries we commonly rehab include (but are not limited to): hernia repair, abdominoplasty, prostatectomy, and gender affirming surgery. Your pelvic floor physical therapist at Sage PT will use skilled techniques to alleviate post-operative symptoms as well as help you rehab back to your normal self.

After surgery, it’s common to experience tension, swelling, or changes in how your body moves and feels, especially around the pelvic floor muscles. These changes can contribute to discomfort, urinary dysfunction, or even issues with continence and sexual health. With pelvic floor physical therapy, we help improve mobility, reduce scar tissue restrictions, and rebuild connection with the muscles that support your daily function.

Whether you’re recovering from a prostatectomy, abdominal procedure, or gender-affirming care, we’ll meet you where you are, with respectful, knowledgeable rehab that’s focused on long-term healing.

For many men, lingering symptoms like pelvic pain, urinary urgency, burning with urination, or pressure in the perineum are actually signs of male pelvic floor dysfunction, not prostate infection. When the pelvic floor muscles are tight, irritated, or not working in harmony, they can compress the nerves that pass through the pelvis, mimicking prostatitis. Through pelvic floor therapy, we help reduce tension, restore mobility, and support the nervous system.

Learn more about urinary urgency and urinary incontinence

What Our Pelvic Floor Therapy Clients Are Saying

S.M.

Katherine is extremely detail oriented and explains the PT exercises very clearly. Her superpowers are knowledge of the human body, empathy, and listening/hearing her patients.

A.P.

Dr Katherine Koch is truly incredible! She’s warm, friendly, knowledgeable, encouraging, and supportive—everything you could hope for in a PT. From the moment you meet her, she makes you feel comfortable, listens carefully to your concerns, and explains things clearly. She provides well-defined steps and exercises tailored to your treatment.

S.B.

I am eternally grateful for her understanding and her expertise that served me greatly and continues to be a foundation for my continued healing. I feel much stronger and more flexible in my back, hips and neck as a result of my work with Katherine. She has been a true gift to me. Thank you Katherine for your professional PT abilities and your human touch.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pelvic Floor Therapy For Men

Pelvic Floor, Women's Health, Men's Health

Bladder leakage (urinary incontinence) Urinary urgency, frequency, and overactive bladder Pelvic pain, including but not limited to: Pain with intercourse, exercise, urinary/bowel function Tailbone pain May also be known as dyspareunia, vaginismus, vulvodynia, vestibulodynia, coccydynia, prostatitis Pelvic organ prolapse Endometriosis related symptoms PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) related symptoms Constipation and irritable bowel syndrome Stool leakage (fecal incontinence) Anal fissures, proctalgia fugax Interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome) Pudendal neuralgia, obturator neuralgia (numbness, tingling, burning, pain of the internal or external pelvis) Many of these conditions may be experienced by both women and men. We welcome & treat everyone!
Pregnancy & Postpartum

Specific pregnancy-related pelvic health care during any trimester: Exercise that is safe and specific to pregnancy Low back pain Pelvic girdle pain Sciatica, SIJ pain Pubic symphysis dysfunction, "lightning crotch" Urinary incontinence Third trimester preparation for delivery, including pelvic opening and perineal mobilization General prenatal education regarding musculoskeletal changes during pregnancy Specific postpartum care: Four to six week musculoskeletal assessment to determine physical readiness for return to run, exercise, intercourse, and more Rehabilitation from vaginal delivery or cesarean section delivery Education on body mechanics for safe lifting and carrying Assessment and treatment for diastasis rectus abdominis (ab separation) Cesarean and perineal scar tissue mobilization Specific education regarding musculoskeletal changes postpartum
Orthopedics & General PT

We recognize that everything is connected! General orthopedic issues are all treated at Sage PT. Low back pain Hip pain TMJ dysfunction (jaw joint) Neck pain Shoulder pain Ankle pain Knee pain Core strengthening Pilates based

Help For Men’s Pelvic Health

Pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t just a women’s health issue. Men experience it too, and the symptoms can be just as frustrating. If you’re dealing with urinary dysfunction, pelvic pain, bowel changes, or post-surgical discomfort, your pelvic floor might be playing a role.

At Sage Physical Therapy, we offer expert, one-on-one pelvic floor physical therapy for men. We help you understand what’s happening in your body and guide you toward real, lasting solutions, all without guesswork.

You don’t have to push through or settle for “this is just how it is.” We’re here to help you move forward with clarity and care.