Post-Prostate Surgery Exercises

Post-prostate surgery exercises are designed to reduce incontinence, which is the most common side effect of prostate surgery. Incontinence (uncontrollable bladder leakage) lasts for many months or years. This side effect is a result of damage to the bladder sphincter or its exterior during surgery to remove excess prostate tissue. When a patient follows the proper exercise guidelines, the duration of incontinence is reduced.

Exercise

• Curing incontinence entails establishing an everyday exercise routine. Regular exercise typically shortens incontinence by weeks or even months. Post-prostate surgery focuses on strengthening the pelvic floor muscle to help control the bladder sphincter and any weaknesses in the exterior of the bladder. The pelvic floor muscle is seldom used or needed except in situations like incontinence due to prostate surgery.

  Men exercise the pelvic floor muscle by drawing up and tightening the rectal sphincter muscle several times a day for two seconds at a time. This is followed by several five-second contractions of the rectal sphincter. These exercises must be carried out 60 to 70 times a day and conducted in the prone, sitting and standing positions.

Process

• Exercising the pelvic floor muscles using Kegel exercises is a four-stage process. The first stage is to identify and learn to contract the pelvic floor muscle. Men are aided in this stage by physical therapists and other medical professionals. The second stage is the initial process of strengthening the muscle via regular and repeated exercises.

  A sustained and powerful contraction of the rectal sphincter on a regular basis is the third phase of Kegel exercise. As a result, the pelvic floor muscle increases in strength. The final phase is the point at which the pelvic floor muscle has been strengthened enough to support the bladder in controlling leakage.

  Once a man reaches stage four in the Kegel exercise regimen, he has regained control of his bladder. Most men in this situation regain bladder control in as little as three months. This is earlier by weeks or months than if natural healing had been allowed to occur.

Significance

• A post-prostate surgery exercise regimen to control incontinence eliminates or reduces the chance of undergoing additional surgery to repair the bladder. If a man does not opt for post-prostate exercises and additional invasive surgery is required, additional side effects, such as erectile dysfunction, may result.

History

• Pelvic floor muscle exercises are commonly referred to as the Kegel exercises. They were originally developed by Dr. Kegel in the 1940s to provide a non-invasive exercise routine for women who suffered from incontinence following childbirth. It was discovered in the 1990s that these exercises also provided support for men suffering from incontinence due to prostate surgery.

Warning

• Any man considering a Kegel exercise regimen must consult with his doctor prior to starting the exercises. The Kegel exercises are not always effective, especially in men with other medical conditions. In some cases, additional surgery is needed to correct the incontinence problem.