Daily Health Headlines

Kegel Exercises for Men

Kegel or pelvic muscle exercises are discrete exercises that work the perineal or pubococcygeus muscles. In the past, they have been largely promoted by physicians to their female patients in an effort to aid with stress incontinence following childbirth. However, these same exercises are now being promoted to men in an effort to improve urinary incontinence, fecal continence, and even sexual health. Unlike typical exercise routines, these exercises don't require the participant to buy any weights or expensive machines.

Kegel exercises primarily aid men with urinary incontinence. Besides preventing embarrassing urine leakage, they also decrease the urge to void. Secondly, they have been shown to help male sexual health by allowing some men's erections to last longer when affected by sexual dysfunction and premature ejaculation. These benefits all equate to a better quality of life.

These exercises are often recommended to patients with weakened pelvic floor muscles such as patients with diabetes, patients having had a prostate surgery in the past such as a radical prostatectomy, or obese patients. It should also be mentioned that these exercises have not been scientifically proven to increase penis size and are thus not recommended solely for this purpose.

Kegel exercises are harmless if performed correctly. Chest and abdominal pain have been reported in some, but these occurrences are the result of inappropriately performed exercises.

Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 1/31/2014

Patient Comments Viewers share their comments

Kegel Exercises for Men - Benefits Question: What benefits have you noticed from performing Kegel exercises?

Kegel Exercises for Men - Results Question: When did you start to notice results from performing Kegel exercises?

Kegel Exercises for Men - Routine Question: What routine do you follow while performing Kegel exercises?

Medical Author:

Kevin C. Zorn, MD, FRCSC, FACS

Dr. Kevin Zorn is a dual-board-certified (US and Canada), minimally-invasive uro-oncology, fellowship trained urologist at the University of Chicago. His main focus of clinical and scientific interest is in the surgical treatment of renal and prostate cancer. He is also an expert in performing surgery with the DaVinci Surgical Robotic System to manage localized prostate cancer and small renal masses. Dr. Zorn studied medicine and urology at McGill University in Montr

Tweet