Male Pelvic Health OT - Male Pelvic Health Importance

Male Pelvic floor dysfunction impacts individuals' whole life, from bladder & bowel control, sexual function, community engagement, pain, and participation in meaningful activities. All of which can lead to a decrease in quality of life and affect occupations, an area in which Occupational Therapists are experts (Fyhrie et al., 2025).

Occupational Therapy (OT) has been defined as a profession that "promotes health and wellbeing by supporting participation in occupations that people want, need, or are expected to do" (WFOT, 2025). This definition uniquely positions OT practitioners to assess and treat male pelvic health due to its disruption of everyday life and occupational justice.

Occupational Justice Issue

Occupational justice is defined as "justice that recognizes occupational rights to inclusive participation in everyday occupations for all persons in society, regardless of age, ability, social class, and other differences (Nilsson & Townsend, 2010)." Occupational injustice, on the other hand, is the inhibition of a person's participation in meaningful activities due to personal factors, illness, or disability.

As an occupational therapist, turning a blind eye to male pelvic health, which affects various aspects of living and engagement in meaningful activities, contributes to occupational injustice by limiting patients' access to education and intervention to address pelvic floor disorders (PFDs). As occupational therapy practitioners, we must strive to reduce occupational injustice and to provide patients with adequate, evidence-based interventions.

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) encompasses conditions & symptoms affecting the pelvic region, including pelvic pain, bladder and bowel dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapse, and sexual health concerns (Mason, 2023).

Prevalence of PFDs

Urinary Incontinence (UI) affected 17.3% of men, in a sample of N=4,076 (Cheng et al., 2022)
Constipation affects 30% of the population in Western countries (De Giorgio et al., 2015)
- Affects 50% of community-dwelling adults.
- 70% of residents of nursing homes.
Chronic Constipation affects 14% of individuals (De Giorgio et al., 2015
Up to 15% of men experience chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), and 87% face urinary incontinence following Prostatectomy (Self, 2026).
Among sexually active male participants, 57, approximately 90.5 % self-reported sexual dysfunction (Paterina de la Ossa et al., 2023).
Premature Ejaculation affects 14%-30% of men (European Association of Urology; Opolony et al., 2025).
Erectile Dysfunction affects 5-25% of the male population (European Association of Urology).

Reasons for Male Pelvic Floor Issues: (Podolski, 2023).

Trauma
Surgery
Long time sitting
Heavy lifting
Sudden increase in activity level
Previous infections
Scar tissue
Stress

Common PFD symptoms that occur in Men

Feeling that you need to have several bowel movements during a short period of time
Feeling of not being able to complete a bowel movement
Constipation or straining pain with bowel movements
Frequent need to urinate, with stop and start many times (Enlarged prostate gland)
Painful urination
Pain in the lower back that cannot be explained by other causes
Ongoing pain in the pelvic region, genitals, or rectum

Stigma, Underdiagnosis, and Psychosocial Impact

Occupational therapy practitioners have a significant opportunity to contribute to the field of male pelvic health by treating clients through a holistic lens. Occupational Therapists are uniquely positioned to address male pelvic health through client-centered assessments of habits, routines, psychosocial factors, and functional participation. This approach is particularly valuable in a stigmatized area of practice such as male pelvic health.

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