Hi I'm Michelle and I'm going to guide in this video series for prostatectomy recovery.
Today we're starting with pelvic floor muscle training to stop bladder leakage and you can
subscribe below to catch upcoming episodes.
Some of this training information is based on this recent research (indicate left) article
linked in the description below if you'd like to access it.
The authors of this research emphasise the importance of individualised treatment so
please consult with a pelvic floor physiotherapist for your post operative management if you're
able too.
Today we're going to cover: 1.
When and where to start 2.
How to do pelvic floor exercises 3.
2 ways to test your exercises 4.
How many exercises to do to get results 1.
Best Positions Starting Out You can start pelvic floor training with your
surgeon's approval and after your catheter has been removed.
It's also very beneficial for bladder control if you can start this pelvic floor training
before your surgery.
You can start your exercises in any one of the following positions:
Lying down with your feet flat and your knees bent over a couple of pillows (indicate left
photos) Semireclined body supported or
Standing upright particularly if you're familiar with this type of pelvic floor training
If you're currently troubled by leakage then I recommend doing your exercises reclined
for the first 2-3 weeks.
How to do Pelvic Floor Exercises for Bladder Control
Now let's review your pelvic floor muscles - you'll be exercising these muscles during
training today.
Your pelvic floor muscles are in and around the area where you sit
Some of the muscles we're focusing on for your bladder control sit at the base of your
penis (bulbospongiosis)and wrap around your penis along with a muscle that sits deeper
inside around your urine tub Here's how to exercise these muscles to stop
bladder leakage, there are 2 parts to doing this exercise correctly.
We're going to do each part separately and then put it together.
Part 1 This first part of your exercise involves
shortening your penis or drawing it inwards - similar to the way a turtle pulls it's head
back into its' shell 1.
Start by relaxing your breathing, relax your buttocks and your belly
2.
Now breathe in and as you breathe out gently shorten your penis by drawing it in towards
your body... and now relax.
3.
Let's repeat the same exercise again keeping it gentle and see if you can do this for 2-3
seconds, If you're having trouble shortening your penis try to imagine you're peeing up
the wall to help you get the right action.
Start now ... breathe in and now as you breathe out shorten your penis for 1 and 2 and now
relax.
How did you go using this technique?
Please try not to worry if this seems challenging at first, this exercise can take a little
time to learn.
Part 2 Here's the second part of the exercise.
This time I want you to contract as if to gently stop or slow the flow of urine.
Start with relaxed breathing, relax your thighs, buttocks and belly.
Breathe in and as you breathe out gently contract your muscles as if you're trying to stop or
slow the flow of urine...
Try to keep contracting for another second or two breathing if you can .... and now take
a rest.
Putting the Parts Together Now let's put parts 1 and 2 together - this
is the correct action for your pelvic floor training.
Don't forget should be very gentle at the moment, at this stage your focus is on quality
and good form rather than contracting strongly.
Start now, breathe in and as your breathe out gently stop the flow of urine and shorten
the penis.
Try to keep breathing and holding your muscles contracted for 1 and 2 and ... now relax back
to resting.
This is the correct exercise for you to practice, shortening the penis and stopping the flow
at the same time.
Remember to try to breathe normally and keep your upper belly relaxed throughout your exercise
if you can.
2 ways to Test your Exercises There are a couple of good ways to test and
know whether you're doing your exercises correctly.
You can try to stop or slow the flow of urine, do this only once a week as a test not as
an exercise to see if you can use the correct muscles.
When you use the correct technique you can see your penis move slightly inwards towards
your body a little like the head of a turtle moving back into its shell
How Many Exercises to Start With Start out with 2-3 second holds
Repeat these exercises gently doing just the number of exercises you can manage, up to
5-10 times in a row Do this routine 2-3 times a day.
To Progress Over the next 2-3 weeks try to progress your
exercises by: Holding each exercise up to 10 seconds repeating
these exercises gently up to 10 times in a row.
Do what you can manage using good technique If you've found this information helpful please
give this video the thumbs up below.
Remember that It can take a number of weeks to improve your bladder control through exercise.
The key is to practice your exercises regularly and to progress your
training as you improve..
If you'd like to see more pelvic floor training for bladder control or if you have any questions
please let me know in the comments below.
Thank you for watching today and I'll see you next time.