Male Pelvic Health

Yes, men have pelvic floors too—and it’s time we stop ignoring them.

Leaking a little when you cough, lift, or can’t quite make it to the bathroom in time.
Waking up multiple times a night to pee and feeling wiped the next day.
Groin or pelvic pain that won’t settle.
Erectile dysfunction that’s starting to affect confidence, relationships, and quality of life.
Bowel control issues you really don’t want to talk about with anyone.

Here’s the thing: men have pelvic floors too—muscles, nerves, and blood vessels that play a massive role in bladder control, bowel control, and erections. When that system is weak, tight, or out of sync, life gets a lot more complicated.

At Timpanogos Physical Therapy, we take men’s pelvic health seriously. We use:

Shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction and pelvic pain
EMTT (electromagnetic therapy) as a new, emerging option for pelvic and sexual health
Our EmStrong EMS pelvic floor chair for male urinary and bowel incontinence
Gentle, targeted pelvic floor and hip/core strengthening
Education and habit changes that actually fit real life

To help you regain control, comfort, and confidence.

Pelvic issues we help men with

We commonly see:

Erectile dysfunction (ED) with a vascular and/or pelvic floor component
Urinary incontinence, including:
- Leakage after prostate surgery
- Drips with coughing, sneezing, lifting, or exercise
- Waking multiple times a night to urinate (nocturia)
- Urgency and “barely made it” episodes
Bowel incontinence or difficulty controlling gas
Post-prostatectomy changes – urinary leakage, urgency, weaker erections
Chronic pelvic pain – perineal, testicular, groin, lower abdominal, or tailbone pain
Chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome–type symptoms
Hip, SI joint, and low back pain that ties into pelvic floor dysfunction

If it feels awkward even to describe what’s going on, that’s normal. You don’t have to have the perfect words—that’s what we’re here for.

How incontinence looks different in men vs women

Pelvic floor problems affect everyone, but they show up a little differently:

In women, stress incontinence (leaking with cough/sneeze/jump) is often tied to pregnancy, childbirth, and hormonal changes.
In men, stress urinary incontinence is much more common after prostate surgery, because the anatomy and support system around the urethra have been changed.

Men also frequently experience:

Urgency and urge incontinence (sudden, intense, hard-to-delay urges)
Night-time symptoms, like waking up several times a night to pee
Bowel incontinence, especially when pelvic floor and sphincter muscles are weak, poorly coordinated, or overstressed

Bottom line: men’s pelvic floors deserve the same attention and care women’s do—and strengthening, coordination, and targeted technologies can make a real difference.

EmStrong EMS Pelvic Floor Chair for Men

Thousands of contractions. You sit.

Our EmStrong EMS pelvic floor chair isn’t just for women—it’s a powerful tool for men too.

You sit (fully clothed) on the chair while high-intensity electromagnetic pulses safely stimulate your pelvic floor muscles to contract. In just 30 minutes, EmStrong can trigger thousands of pelvic floor contractions—far more than you could realistically perform with regular Kegels.

For men, this can help:

Improve urinary control (post-prostate surgery, stress leakage, urgency, and some night-time leakage patterns)
Support bowel control by strengthening the muscles that help close the back passage
Build a stronger, more responsive pelvic floor that better supports erections and overall pelvic stability

Insurance & cost

Right now, insurance does not cover EmStrong sessions.

However:

Traditional pelvic floor therapy through insurance often means many visits over months, plus copays, coinsurance, and deductibles.
EmStrong often delivers results within a shorter series of sessions, and for many men, the total out-of-pocket cost ends up lower than what they would spend on extended, drawn-out care through insurance.

We’ll lay out the costs clearly up front so you can decide what’s best for you.

Good to know: EmStrong doesn’t replace pelvic floor therapy—it supercharges it. We still coach breathing, body mechanics, and strengthening, so the gains you make on the chair transfer to real life.

Shockwave Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction & Pelvic Pain

Erectile dysfunction (ED)

We use low-intensity shockwave therapy as one of our tools for men with certain types of ED—especially when blood flow, tissue health, and pelvic factors are part of the picture.

Shockwave can help:

Support local circulation in pelvic tissues
Encourage tissue remodeling and health
Reduce sensitivity and discomfort in associated muscles and fascia

It’s non-invasive and drug-free, and often used alongside medical management (like medication prescribed by your physician), not necessarily instead of it.

Insurance & cost for ED shockwave

It’s important to know that insurance does not cover shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction.

Why?

For ED, shockwave is generally considered “non-covered” or “elective” by insurers.
Even though there’s growing interest and research, many insurance companies view ED shockwave as a wellness/quality-of-life or emerging treatment, rather than something they reimburse.

Practically, that means:

ED shockwave is a cash-pay service.
You’ll know the pricing up front—no surprise bills months later.
Many men weigh the cost against long-term spending on medications, injections, or other procedures, and choose the option that makes the most sense for them.

We’ll always be transparent about what Shockwave can and cannot do, and how it fits with your broader medical care.

Pelvic pain & tightness

Pelvic and groin pain in men can be driven by:

Tight, overactive pelvic floor muscles
Protective tension in the hips, glutes, or lower abdomen
Irritated soft tissues from years of guarding

Shockwave can help:

Soften tight, overworked tissues
Decrease localized pain and sensitivity
Make movement, exercise, and pelvic floor retraining more comfortable

We combine it with manual therapy, stretching/relaxation work, and graded strengthening so your body actually learns a new, calmer pattern—not just a temporary “numbing.”

EMTT: an emerging option for male pelvic health & ED

EMTT (Electromagnetic Transduction Therapy) is a newer technology that uses high-energy magnetic fields applied over the pelvis.

For men’s pelvic health, we’re actively exploring EMTT as part of care for:

Erectile dysfunction (especially when circulation and tissue health are key factors)
Chronic pelvic pain
General pelvic floor dysfunction

EMTT is:

Non-invasive
Typically well tolerated
Thought to influence cellular metabolism, circulation, and tissue healing

The research is emerging, not final, so we frame it as a promising add-on, especially when used together with shockwave, EmStrong, and good rehab, rather than a stand-alone miracle cure. We’ll walk you through the pros, cons, and where it may fit into your plan.

What care looks like with us

We keep it straightforward, private, and respectful.

1. Pelvic-focused evaluation (without the awkward lecture)

We’ll talk about:

Urinary, bowel, and sexual symptoms
Surgical history (prostate, hernia, spine, etc.)
Pain patterns in the pelvis, hips, back, or abdomen
Your goals—dryness, comfort, performance, confidence, all of the above

We assess posture, hips, back, core, and, if appropriate and you’re comfortable, pelvic floor function. You stay in control the whole time.

2. EmStrong for pelvic floor strength & control

If it’s a good fit, we’ll design a series of EmStrong sessions to:

Boost pelvic floor strength and endurance
Support better bladder and bowel control
Lay a foundation for improved pelvic support and confidence

We’ll add simple, targeted exercises so those gains show up in your daily life.

3. Shockwave ± EMTT

For ED and pelvic pain, your plan may include:

Shockwave therapy directed at key tissues contributing to pain or dysfunction
EMTT as an emerging adjunct to support tissue health and pelvic blood flow
Manual therapy, stretching, and relaxation work to reduce protective tension

We’ll explain each step and adjust as you respond.

4. Strength, movement & habits

We’ll also address:

Hip, core, and glute strength to support the pelvis
Breathing and pressure strategies (how you lift, cough, strain, or brace)
Bathroom habits, fluid intake, and lifestyle factors that impact bladder and bowel function

The goal isn’t to turn your life upside down—it’s to build a plan that you can actually follow.

FAQs

Isn’t pelvic floor stuff just for women?
Nope. Men have pelvic floors too, and those muscles are crucial for bladder and bowel control, as well as erections. Ignoring them doesn’t make the problems go away—it just delays getting better.

Can EmStrong help men after prostate surgery?
For many men, yes. By powerfully strengthening the pelvic floor, EmStrong can support better urinary control after prostate surgery. Results vary, but it’s one of the reasons we like having it as an option.

Can this help with bowel incontinence as well as urine incontinence?
Yes. The pelvic floor and sphincter muscles help control both urine and stool. Strengthening and retraining them, along with adjusting habits, can play an essential role in improving bowel control.

Is shockwave therapy a cure for ED?
No single treatment is a guaranteed cure. Shockwave is one tool that may help improve erectile function for some men, especially when vascular and pelvic factors are involved. We look at the whole picture and encourage medical evaluation to rule out more serious causes.

Will I have to talk about really personal stuff?
We’ll only ask what we need to create a safe, effective plan—and we’ll always explain why we’re asking. You set the pace and boundaries.

Ready to stop pretending your pelvic floor doesn’t matter?

If you’re dealing with leakage, waking up multiple times a night to pee, pelvic pain, bowel control issues, or ED, you’re not broken—and you’re not alone. There are fundamental, modern tools that can help.

Schedule a male pelvic health evaluation at Timpanogos Physical Therapy, and we’ll build a discreet, effective plan using options like shockwave therapy, EMTT, and EmStrong pelvic floor training to help you regain control, comfort, and confidence.