Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition that many women may not hear about until they experience symptoms or receive a diagnosis during a routine pelvic exam–and men during a routine physical exam. While it only affects a small percentage of men and women, it’s important to understand what it is, what causes it, and how it can be treated—especially as we age or after childbirth.

Men (and those with male anatomy), have you ever typed into Google: “It feels like there’s a golf ball in my rectum”... “There’s so much pressure in my butt”... “Something feels stuck near my tailbone”...“My tailbone hurts every time I sit”...“I can’t drive for long without pain.” If so, you’re not alone—and what you’re experiencing could be related to one of several possible conditions.

As a pelvic floor physical therapist, many of my clients are female. But I have specialized training to help males too! Equipped with the most advanced tools and techniques in the industry, like Visceral Manipulation, Low Pressure Fitness, and the Redcord suspension system, I can help you overcome pain and pelvic floor dysfunction, regardless of your gender.

As a pelvic health physical therapist at Activcore in New Jersey, I find myself talking about the pelvis all day long. After all, people are excited to learn about this fast growing area of physical therapy practice. And they have many, many questions! So here are some of the most common I get asked...

True or False? Male pelvic pain is always associated with dysfunction of the prostate. The answer is FALSE. While the prostate can be associated with pelvic floor dysfunction at times, it is generally not the primary cause especially for pelvic pain. Approximately 2-16% of men may experience pelvic pain. Pelvic pain may also be associated with bladder, bowel, and/or sexual dysfunction.

You may have heard that breathing is good for the pelvic floor, or you may have received breathing exercises from a PT before. But why? Here I will dive into how the pelvic floor and breathing are intimately connected and why it’s important in your pelvic floor care.

As a Performance Specialist at Activcore, I perform a comprehensive movement assessment with each new client. These tests provide a wealth of information about your movement capacity and a baseline for improving your stability, mobility, strength and resiliency. Essentially, they are a roadmap for addressing asymmetries and imbalances through the application of corrective exercises.

Intra-abdominal pressure is the pressure within the abdominal cavity created by the interaction between the abdominal wall and organs. This pressure changes with breathing and the resistance from the abdominal wall. When you are lifting an object or even lifting a limb, you increase intra-abdominal pressure.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) may occur anytime after the age of 20. By age 40, the prevalence increases by 10% each decade. ED can be caused organically such as vascular and neuro dysfunctions, post surgical, post trauma, hormones, and medications. ED can also be due to psychological dysfunction, age, pain-related, activities, situational, and behavior.

As November arrives, we all know the holiday season is just around the corner, whether we are prepared for it or not! With the holidays come various stressors, late-night festivities, indulgent eating, and perhaps a bit too much drinking. All of these can leave us feeling less than our best. By implementing some straightforward practices, you can keep your gut in top shape and truly savor this special time of year!