Kegels After Prostate Surgery
Short Answer
Yes — pelvic floor muscle training is a standard part of recovery for many men after radical prostatectomy. It is used primarily to improve urinary continence. Programs are best guided by the surgical team or a pelvic floor physiotherapist.
Detailed Explanation
Radical prostatectomy can affect the muscles and nerves involved in continence. Systematic reviews support preoperative and postoperative pelvic floor muscle training as a way to reduce the duration of incontinence for many men.
Key points:
- Starting training before surgery (when feasible) is often recommended.
- Technique and progression should be individualized; some men need supervised physiotherapy rather than self-directed exercises.
- The primary evidence-based goal in this setting is continence recovery, not sexual function or size.
- Sexual function recovery involves additional factors (nerve-sparing status, time, rehabilitation options, etc.).
Self-directed general Kegel advice is not a substitute for post-surgical rehabilitation protocols provided by the clinical team.