Women have been encouraged to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles through regular exercising for decades. As the baby boomer generation begins to feel the effects of aging, more and more women are taking up that message to maintain continence and sexual health well into their older years.

But now comes the news that strong pelvic floor muscles may also be critically important for men.

A British study of men suffering from erectile dysfunction found that a simple program of pelvic floor exercises, done correctly and regularly for 6 months, overcame the problem in 40% of men, with a further 35.5% showing a real improvement.

Men in the study were initially divided into two groups, with one group undertaking the exercise program and the other group receiving advice on lifestyle changes, such as giving up smoking and reducing alcohol intake. An assessment after three months showed that men doing exercises had improved markedly whereas the men in the lifestyle group showed no improvement. Men in the lifestyle group were then switched into the exercise group and another assessment took place three months later. By this point, all men had improved, and they continued to improve over another three months while they exercised at home.

Two thirds of the men in the study also experienced "dribbling" after urinating when they started the program, but this was significantly overcome by pelvic floor exercising too.

The authors are so convinced of the importance of their findings that they recommend that a pelvic floor exercise program be considered as the first therapy option for erectile dysfunction, before drugs or other more invasive treatments are tried.

The good news for men who need help with the problem of erectile dysfunction is that pelvic floor exercises can be done discreetly at home, in a way that fits in with each man's lifestyle and schedule.

In the study, the exercise technique was taught by therapists, using widely available instructions.

For men who are not able or willing to consult a practitioner, many resources are available to help. Leaflets, books, DVDs and exercise devices can often provide the answer. An exercise device can help to:

-identify and isolate the correct muscles for squeezing
-provide resistance and visual feedback on squeeze strength and duration and
-maintain motivation by providing clear evidence of progress.

Whatever method is chosen for learning and monitoring the correct exercise technique, a simple pelvic floor exercise program may be the answer for many men who are reluctant to take the drugs that are usually offered as the first line of therapy.

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About the Author

Linda McClelland is the founder of Pelvic Floor Exercise, providing information, links and products to help women and men worldwide improve their pelvic floor fitness. Visit her at www.pelvicfloorexercise.com or www.pelvicfloorexercise.com.au for more information.