June is Men's Health Month. In honor of this, we featured an article in Siouxland SIR magazine highlighting the number one cancer in men...prostate cancer. This cancer has a life-changing impact, but FYZICAL is here to help!
Did you know that men have a pelvic floor? If you are the “1 in 6” in the United States diagnosed with prostate cancer, you are about to learn more than you ever imagined about your pelvic floor and bladder system. The American Urological Association recommends using a practitioner-guided pelvic floor muscle training program before and after surgery. It’s a way for you to be better educated about your body and have some control over your own health outcomes. Learning specific exercises to strengthen the muscles in that area can help you reduce the leaking that often occurs after prostate cancer surgery.
Dr. Mallory Hertz, PT, DPT, of FYZICAL® Therapy & Balance Centers of Dakota Dunes and their team of physical therapists are the only pelvic specialists in the Siouxland area specifically trained to do internal pelvic work. And that can make a real difference in your recovery and quality of life following your prostate cancer treatment.
Schedule a visit to see them 4-6 weeks prior to your prostate cancer surgery to learn how to best prepare the muscles. They’ll instruct you on how to work on increasing your awareness of your pelvic muscles and how to strengthen them. The stronger and more connected you are to those muscles prior to surgery, the better you’ll recover afterward. Following up with physical therapy a week after your catheter removal with weekly sessions will help you retrain your bladder and avoid embarrassing leaking.
Physical therapy focusing on your pelvic floor muscles and bladder retraining will help you get back to the highest level of functioning the fastest. It will also help you with post-surgery abdominal pain.
Don’t let yourself feel isolated and alone in your prostate cancer treatment journey. FYZICAL is here to help!
FYZICAL® Therapy & Balance Centers. Spelled different because we are different!