Constipation isn’t just about diet or hydration, for many men, the pelvic floor is the missing link. If these muscles don’t relax properly, the result can be straining, incomplete emptying, or even pain. Over time, this not only affects digestion but also bladder and sexual health.

Why the Male Pelvic Floor Matters

In men, the pelvic floor muscles:

Support the bladder and bowel
Control continence (urine and stool)
Play a role in erections and ejaculation

👉 For a bowel movement to happen, the pelvic floor must relax. If the muscles stay tight or push the wrong way, constipation sets in.

Signs Your Pelvic Floor May Be Involved in Constipation

Needing to strain or push hard to poo
A stop–start pattern when emptying
A sensation of “never fully emptying”
Using your hand to press on the perineum or buttocks to help stool pass
Constipation that doesn’t improve with diet or hydration
Pelvic pain, urinary leakage, or erectile changes along with constipation

Why Constipation Affects Men’s Health

Chronic straining can:

Weaken the pelvic floor, leading to urinary leakage or post-void dribble
Increase risk of rectal prolapse or haemorrhoids
Worsen pelvic pain or nerve irritation (such as pudendal neuralgia)
Interfere with sexual health due to persistent pelvic floor overactivity

How Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Helps Men

A men’s pelvic health physiotherapist can provide:

1. Pelvic Floor Awareness & Relaxation

Teaching how to relax muscles instead of tightening when on the toilet
Biofeedback or ultrasound for real-time guidance

2. Toileting Mechanics

Correct toilet posture (e.g. using a footstool to straighten the anorectal angle)
Breathing out gently instead of straining

3. Manual Therapy

Gentle release techniques for overactive muscles or scar tissue (post-surgery)

4. Lifestyle & Bladder–Bowel Coaching

Managing caffeine, hydration, and fibre intake (with dietitian input if needed)
Creating regular routines to retrain bowel habits

For men, constipation is often more than a gut issue, it’s a pelvic floor issue. If you’ve been straining for months or years, your pelvic health could already be paying the price. The good news? With physiotherapy, better toilet habits, and relaxation strategies, bowel movements can become easier, healthier, and pain-free.

✨ Struggling with constipation or straining? Book a consultation with our men’s pelvic health physiotherapists at Renard Clinic and discover how pelvic floor therapy can help.