The Function of the Male Pelvic Floor

We are often asked if men have pelvic floor muscles too. The answer is 1000% YES! Which means, men can experience pelvic floor dysfunction just like females.

Today, I am going to break down the function of the male pelvic floor.

You might be surprised to hear that

1. men do have a pelvic floor very similar to women

2. how many men actually do have pelvic floor dysfunction

To  start, let's cover the basics: What even is the pelvic floor? 

The male pelvic floor refers to a group of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues located at the base of the pelvis. Together, these structures form a supportive “hammock” or “pelvic bowl” that helps the pelvic organs function properly. Although it is often overlooked, the pelvic floor plays a vital role in everyday health and quality of life.

Now that you know what the pelvic floor IS, now let’s get into the fun stuff. What does the pelvic floor DO? The short answer…. A LOT.

Next, I am going to break the function of the male pelvic floor into 4 categories.

1. Supports pelvic organs

Everyone needs a good support system, right? The pelvic floor is that supportive best friend for the bladder, rectum, intestines, and in men- the prostate. Its job as the supportive friend is to support load, manage pressure, and coordinate movement. Imagine being this person.. You're doing a lot, right? If you haven't trained appropriately, you're probably going to get tired, and may even fail at times. You may not coordinate properly because you didn't get enough sleep. If you're constantly stressed, sometimes the extra stress is just too much for you to handle. This is where dysfunction happens. The support system has failed.

There are different ways to target dysfunction

1. Manage the load: get your friends functioning properly without as much assistance from you and

2. Train to be stronger for the demand: If you feel like your support system is failing you, it’s time to contact a pelvic floor physical therapist and start making changes!

2. Controls urination and bowel movements

Imagine your pelvic floor being TSA for your bowel/bladder. Its job is not to shut down the airport, but rather control the flow. When everything is working properly, nothing gets through that shouldn't. The process is smooth and efficient.

Now think about an airport that is understaffed. Chaotic right? They are probably missing liquids getting through- much like a weak pelvic floor. 

Now what if the airport is overstaffed? Have you ever been to an airport with such a high alert TSA you thought you would never make your flight? Nothing is getting through this airport- similar to a tight pelvic floor.

The pelvic floor muscles wrap around the urethra and rectum, acting like adjustable valves.

• When these muscles contract, they help maintain continence

• When they relax, they allow urination or bowel movements to happen smoothly

This process is automatic most of the time, but it still depends on healthy muscle function and proper nervous system signaling.

3. Sexual function

The pelvic floor plays a role in arousal, erection, and ejaculation for men. The pelvic floor controls blood flow into the penis. Think about pumping air into a balloon. The opening of the balloon is the pelvic floor. If the opening of the balloon is too tight- no air is getting in. If the opening of the pelvic floor is too loose, the air is going to leak out. There has to be a functioning and healthy balance with timing and responsiveness to get air in, and then maintain the air inside the balloon. This is the job of the pelvic floor with blood flow to the penis. It takes coordination, timing, and responsiveness. Dysfunction in coordination, timing, and responsiveness can show up as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, or delayed/weak ejaculation.

4. Core stability

When people hear the word “core” they often think of the nice abs that you see on the male actors in movies. Well, the pelvis is actually the BASE of the core. Think about building a house..

The first thing you do is lay the foundation. The pelvic floor is the foundation of your house.

People often like to focus on the pretty things: walls, paint, roof, etc. No one looks deeper into the foundation. When a house has cracks in the walls, the problem usually isn’t the drywall. It’s the foundation!

For men, this shows up as:

• recurring lower-back pain

• unstable or weak lifts

• poor posture despite “strong abs”

• lack of control during powerful movements

Having a strong BASE, will allow for more efficient and effective movements throughout day to day life. If the pelvis is the base to SO many movements, why not train it like we train anything else? If your house feels like it constantly needs repairs or “bandaids”, maybe it’s time to start looking at the foundation you're building on!

Understanding your body and what it needs is key in maintaining a healthy system. If you feel like anything above resonates with you, maybe it's time to start looking into your pelvic floor!

And if you’re local to East Texas and wanting to schedule an appointment, good news! We see male patients and are accepting new patients at all 3 of our locations: Sulphur Springs, Rockwall, and Canton.

To schedule an appointment, call 903-962-2600 or request an appointment by filling a form here and someone from our office will reach out to get you on the schedule.

Next on your reading list:

1. Internal Pelvic Floor Examination: What to Expect

2. Testicular Pain

3. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction