If you’re wondering whether pelvic floor exercises can help your erections, two NHS patient leaflets say that strengthening these muscles may help you get and keep an erection. The research on men is still limited, so the useful approach is a simple routine you track and take to a clinician. Below you’ll find how to locate the muscles, the routines the leaflets set out, what the studies do and don’t show, how this relates to back pain, and what to ask before you begin.
What does the pelvic floor do for erections?
The pelvic floor is a layer of muscles that runs from your pubic bone at the front of your pelvis to your tailbone at the back. The North Bristol NHS Trust’s pelvic floor leaflet for men lists its jobs as bladder control, bowel control, sexual function, stabilising the pelvis and supporting the pelvic organs. The same leaflet lists erectile dysfunction among the symptoms of pelvic floor weakness and says the pelvic floor helps you maintain erections.
The leaflet also lists what can weaken these muscles: prostate or pelvic surgery, radiation to the pelvis, straining from chronic constipation, conditions such as MS, stroke or uncontrolled diabetes, being overweight, chronic coughing, and injury to the perineum.
A 2017 review of pelvic floor anatomy describes the muscles as mainly the levator ani, and says pelvic floor physiology is centred on bladder and bowel control, sexual functioning and pregnancy (the 2017 review of pelvic floor anatomy and physiology).
Can pelvic floor exercises help with erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is when a man has trouble getting or keeping an erection. MedlinePlus’s erectile dysfunction page says ED becomes more common with age but is not a natural part of aging, and that getting more exercise, losing weight or stopping smoking may also help. It adds that ED can be a sign of health problems, so you should tell your doctor if you have it.
The North Tees and Hartlepool leaflet says strong pelvic floor muscles help you achieve an erection. The Bristol leaflet says strengthening the muscles can improve bladder and bowel control and “may also improve your ability to maintain an erection.”
The research is thinner than the claims. A 2019 review of pelvic floor physical therapy found robust support for most pelvic floor disorders, but it is about women, and it calls for larger, well-designed trials to show long-term effectiveness (the 2019 review of pelvic floor physical therapy). For men, a registered trial lists 120 participants in biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor training for men with ED and functional hypogonadism. Its status is not yet recruiting, and the registration is a plan, not a result (ClinicalTrials.gov entry NCT07687173).
You may also see a figure that 40% of men regained normal erectile function after pelvic floor exercises. Allo Health’s article attributes this to a randomised trial titled “Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction,” and Vertica Labs calls it a preliminary UK study. Search PubMed for that title and read the abstract yourself before you rely on the number.
How do you find and do Kegel exercises as a man?
The North Bristol leaflet says to tighten your back passage as if you’re stopping wind, and at the same time imagine stopping the flow of urine. You should feel a squeeze that pulls up and in. The base of your penis may draw in slightly and your testicles may rise. Don’t tighten your thighs or buttocks, and don’t hold your breath. Then feel the muscles soften as you let go.
Aeroflow Urology’s blog suggests starting in front of a mirror and lists common mistakes: squeezing only the buttocks, squeezing the thighs, straining the abdominals, holding the breath and pushing down.
Both NHS leaflets use the same two movements, slow and fast, and both say to do both.
| Item | North Bristol NHS Trust leaflet | North Tees and Hartlepool NHS leaflet |
|---|---|---|
| Slow squeeze | Breathe out, tighten, and hold; rest 5 seconds; repeat 5 times at first, building toward 10 seconds and 10 repeats | Squeeze and lift, hold for 5 seconds, relax for 5 seconds; repeat 8 times |
| Fast squeeze | Tighten and let go straight away, about one per second; 10 repeats | Tighten and pull up quickly, then relax straight away; repeat 8 times or until the muscles feel tired |
| How often | Three times a day, working toward 30 slow and 30 fast a day | At least 3 times every day |
| What to expect | Up to 3 to 6 months of regular exercise to build strength; once symptoms improve, continue once daily for life | Several weeks of regular practice to regain strength; continue for 3 months before considering other options |
The Bristol leaflet suggests pairing the routine with everyday moments such as brushing your teeth or after meals. Once you’re confident, both leaflets say you can try the exercises standing or in other positions.
Is 100 Kegels a day safe?
Neither leaflet sets a target anywhere near 100. The Bristol leaflet aims for 30 slow and 30 fast a day, and the North Tees leaflet has you do 8 slow and 8 fast at least three times a day. Aeroflow Urology’s blog says there is no optimal number of repetitions and that quality matters more than quantity. Allo Health’s article says over-repetition can cause muscle fatigue and worsen urinary leakage. If you’re doing more than a leaflet’s target, ask your clinician whether to keep to that number.
Can you do Kegels during an erection?
The Bristol and North Tees leaflets don’t address doing the exercises during an erection. Ask your clinician before you try it.
How do you relax a tight pelvic floor?
Relaxing matters as much as squeezing. The Bristol leaflet says to feel the muscles relaxing and softening after each contraction. Aeroflow’s blog describes a “gentle activation” for a pelvic floor that feels tight and doesn’t relax: breathe in and let the muscles release as if they were a balloon growing, then breathe out and engage them lightly. It says this may help with difficulty starting or emptying the bladder, constipation or pelvic pain.
For constipation, the Bristol leaflet describes a toilet position: feet on a footrest, knees higher than your hips, leaning forward with elbows on your knees, and a straight spine. The North Tees leaflet warns that straining to open your bowels can overstretch the pelvic floor and make it weaker.
The Bristol and North Tees leaflets don’t describe how a tight or relaxed pelvic floor feels during sex. That is a good question for a clinician.
Do pelvic floor exercises help with leaking urine?
Yes, both leaflets focus on leaking. The Bristol leaflet says to tighten before you lift anything heavy, sneeze or cough. The North Tees leaflet says to tighten during and after any activity that makes you leak, such as rising from a chair or coughing, and says this “should help to reduce or stop any leakage.” Aeroflow’s blog suggests squeezing before and during coughing, laughing, sneezing, lifting, getting up from a chair, and going up stairs or onto a curb.
For after-dribble, the North Tees leaflet describes waiting a few seconds after urinating, squeezing the pelvic floor, then placing fingertips near the anus and drawing them forward toward the base of the penis, repeated twice.
The two leaflets disagree on one point. The Bristol leaflet says not to practise stopping the flow of urine midstream. The North Tees leaflet describes a mid-stream test every two weeks and says not to do it more than once a fortnight. Follow the one your clinician gives you.
Will a therapist finger you during pelvic floor therapy?
Both NHS leaflets describe exercises you do yourself, and neither describes a clinician examining or touching you internally. If a therapist proposes any hands-on or internal work, ask what it is for, what they will do, and whether you can stop at any point.
Does ejaculating or masturbating often affect the pelvic floor?
The Bristol leaflet’s list of causes of pelvic floor weakness doesn’t include how often you ejaculate or masturbate. NIDDK’s erectile dysfunction guide says a healthy sex life is part of healthy living, and that talking with a health care professional helps to properly diagnose ED. It doesn’t address how often to masturbate, whether it’s healthy to do so daily, or what happens if you stop for a month. Those are fair questions to bring to a clinician.
The North Tees leaflet says strong pelvic floor muscles help achieve an erection and “may prevent premature ejaculation.” This is the leaflet’s own claim.
Are yoga, Pilates and other exercises useful for erections?
Pelvic floor exercises are only one option. The table below sets out what each source says.
| Approach | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises | The North Bristol and North Tees leaflets say strong pelvic floor muscles help maintain erections. The 2019 review found robust support for pelvic floor therapy in most disorders, but in women. |
| Exercise, weight and smoking | MedlinePlus says getting more exercise, losing weight or stopping smoking may also help. NIDDK says a healthy diet can lower the risk of ED or improve symptoms. |
| Yoga | Vertica Labs cites a few small clinical studies that showed yoga may improve several sexual function measures. It says that yoga supporting erectile function has not yet been scientifically established. |
| Pilates | Vertica Labs says certain Pilates experts think it contributes to tightening pelvic muscles and improving erectile function. That is an expert view, not a study result. |
| Counselling, devices and drugs | The 2011 BMJ Clinical Evidence review covered psychosexual counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, vacuum devices and phosphodiesterase inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil). Its abstract doesn’t report how well each one works, so read the full review for grading. |
| Penile stretching (jelqing) | Allo Health says there is no strong scientific evidence proving the safety or effectiveness of these techniques, and that improper technique may cause pain or injury. |
The 2011 review says that 30% to 50% of men aged 40 to 70 may have erectile dysfunction, with age, smoking and obesity as the main risk factors, and that 20% of cases have psychological causes. Those numbers may help you place your own situation.
Do pelvic floor exercises help back pain?
The Bristol leaflet doesn’t mention back pain. The 2017 anatomy review says the pelvic floor muscles are highly interconnected with the hip and gluteal musculature and the pelvic girdle. Allo Health says men with severe back pain should avoid exercises that strain those areas, and that modified or physiotherapy-guided routines can help prevent injury.
If back pain is the bigger problem for you, read exercise advice for back pain before adding any new routine. If your back flares after you start, back pain after a new exercise explains what to write down. You can also read when to see a doctor for back pain.
When should you see a doctor?
ED is worth a clinician visit on its own. NIDDK says doctors diagnose ED with a medical, sexual and mental health history, a physical exam and lab or other tests. MedlinePlus says ED can be a sign of health problems, such as clogged blood vessels or nerve damage from diabetes.
Allo Health lists signs that point to specific causes. Nerve-related ED may show as numbness or tingling in the genital area, weak or absent erections despite arousal, or reduced sensation. Vascular ED may show as weak, short-lasting erections, especially with a history of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes or smoking. Allo Health also says men with heart disease or chest pain should avoid high-intensity workouts without medical approval, and men who have recently had prostate, abdominal or spinal surgery should not start pelvic floor or strength exercises on their own.
The North Tees leaflet says to talk to your nurse or continence nurse if you have questions. It lists the Specialist Pelvic Health Team at 01429 522500, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What should you ask your clinician?
- Could my erection problem be linked to my pelvic floor, blood flow, nerves, hormones or stress?
- Would a pelvic floor assessment be useful before I start, and who would do it?
- Which routine should I follow, how many repetitions, and what is my daily limit?
- How will we know if it’s working, and when should we review it?
- Is there any hands-on or internal part, and what would it involve?
- Is an exercise routine safe with my back pain, heart history or past surgery?
- Should I tell you about my ejaculation or masturbation habits when we talk about my symptoms?
By BackToHealthTroy.com Editorial Team
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.