Do Kegel Exercises for Erectile Dysfunction Actually Help? What the Evidence Says?

Kegels are promoted as a solution for almost every problem relating to the lower half of the body. However, in the case of erectile dysfunction, there is genuine clinical research to support it, and the results are better than most people anticipate from something so simple and dull to carry out.

The muscles doing the actual work

Kegel exercises for erectile dysfunction focus on the pelvic floor, but when it comes to erections, two muscles are most important: the bulbocavernosus and the ischiocavernosus. The ischiocavernosus compresses the base of the penis to force blood into the erectile chambers, while the bulbocavernosus squeezes the deep dorsal vein and thus prevents blood from leaking out after an erection has started. If these muscles are weak, blood will enter but won’t stay. This condition, known as venous leak, is one of the more common physical causes of ED in men without serious vascular disease.

The study everyone cites

The trial that has been referred to most frequently is Grace Dorey’s randomised controlled study from 2005, which appeared in BJU International. This study included 55 men who had been confirmed to have vasculogenic ED (the type of ED involving vein leakage as described above) and divided them into three groups: one receiving pelvic floor training only, one receiving pelvic floor training together with biofeedback to make sure they were carrying it out correctly, and a control group that was given only some advice about lifestyle.

Forty percent of the men who performed pelvic floor exercises to improve erectile dysfunction recovered, as measured by the IIEF-5 scale, after six months, and an additional 35.5 percent demonstrated a considerable improvement. This gives a total response rate of more than 75 percent. The control group, on the other hand, showed no significant result.

It’s a remarkable figure for a treatment that costs nothing and has no side effects.

What the wider research says

Since Dorey’s trial, a number of smaller studies and at least one systematic review have been carried out looking at pelvic floor training as a means of treating ED in general. The result that emerges from all of them is a steady, moderate improvement in erectile function scores, particularly among men who have mild to moderate ED, and this effect is especially noticeable when Kegels are combined with other measures such as improved sleep, reduced alcohol intake, weight loss, and quitting smoking. A review published in 2019 in Translational Andrology and Urology examined the combination of pelvic floor training with PDE5 inhibitors (the drug category which includes Viagra and Cialis) and found that the combination was better than either method on its own for some men.

Must Read : Why Erectile Dysfunction Is Rising in Men Under 40?

How pelvic floor exercises for men really work

It is more important to do each Kegel exercise correctly than to do a large number of them. The simplest method of locating the proper muscles is to try to control the flow of urine or to contract the muscles that would prevent you from passing wind. The contraction you feel, not the abdominal muscles, not the glutes, not the thighs, is the one you want.

A basic protocol that mirrors what’s used in the clinical trials:

• Contract the pelvic floor muscles for about 5 seconds, then relax them for another 5 seconds; repeat 10 times, 3 times a day.
• A few weeks later, increase the duration to 10 seconds and include a series of quick 1-second contractions to develop both endurance and speed.
• Over a period of 8 to 12 weeks, the duration of the holds and the number of repetitions should be steadily increased as the muscles become stronger.

The majority of the men who experienced results in the studies continued with the exercise for at least three months. It’s not a solution that works within a week; it’s more like physical therapy than a supplement. Kegels are slow-acting, build up over time, and depend on being done properly and regularly.

The realistic take

In cases of mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction involving a venous leak and with no significant underlying vascular or neurological disease, the evidence is strong, and the exercise has no disadvantages. However, when the cause of the erectile dysfunction is something other than this, Kegels might provide some assistance as an additional measure, but will not be sufficient on their own. People who begin doing them should regard it as a commitment lasting two to three months while at the same time obtaining a proper diagnosis of the reason for their erectile dysfunction, not as a simple remedy in itself.

Urogen ED Cambridge Wave Therapy

Kegels are a good first step, but they aren’t the only non-invasive option worth looking at. Wave Therapy has gained real popularity for a different reason since it acts on blood flow at its source rather than just supporting the surrounding muscles.

Here’s why it’s worth a look:

It focuses on the blood supply, whereas Kegels target the muscles. Kegels strengthen the muscles that keep blood in position after it has started to flow. Wave Therapy employs low-intensity acoustic pulses to promote the growth of new blood vessels and reopen those that have narrowed over time. For men in whom ED is mainly due to reduced circulation rather than muscle weakness, this is a significant difference.

The sessions are short and require no recovery time; a typical session lasts 15 to 20 minutes, after which patients return to their daily activities immediately. There’s no need to take pills, no need for injections, and no downtime.

It works well in combination with Kegels rather than opposing them, since the two methods address different aspects of the problem; many men end up doing both pelvic floor exercises and Wave Therapy rather than picking one and abandoning the other.

If you’re still weighing your options, you should schedule a private consultation to experience the benefits of Wave Therapy at Urogen ED Cambridge.

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