If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, the road ahead may feel uncertain. What will life be like during treatment, recovery and beyond? Physical therapy provides support both before and after surgery. Your practitioner can also provide much-needed answers when you’re feeling the most unsure about what’s normal.
At Forever Fit, we have licensed physical therapists who specialize in men’s pelvic health and prostate cancer recovery. In this article, we’ll discuss the symptoms of prostate cancer that physical therapy can help with and what to expect from a rehabilitation program.
Managing symptoms of prostate cancer in PT
The side effects experienced during and after prostate cancer treatment vary from patient to patient. They also depend on the type of cancer treatment you’ve had (e.g., radiation therapy, hormone therapy or surgery). However, physical therapy can help with several common symptoms of prostate cancer, such as:
-
Urinary leakage, urgency and frequency
Many prostate cancer patients experience bladder incontinence and frequency challenges. The surgery itself can weaken the muscles and nerves that support your bladder, but sometimes radiation plays a role. Two common types of incontinence include:
- Stress incontinence — This describes the urine leaks that happen when you sneeze or cough.
- Urge incontinence — This is when you feel the sudden need to urinate right away, and you may leak a little before reaching the restroom.
The time it takes these symptoms to resolve after prostate surgery varies from patient to patient. However, you can learn how to strengthen your pelvic muscles and develop better control.
-
Bowel issues
Constipation, fecal incontinence and other bowel issues can occur. This might be because your body’s adapting to how your prostate removal has changed your pelvic anatomy. Radiation therapy may also be a factor. Along with a few lifestyle and diet changes, pelvic floor therapy can help you reduce bowel control issues and constipation.
-
Penile changes
After prostate removal, some patients may notice changes in the appearance of their penis, such as it seeming shorter or slimmer than normal. This could be the result of decreased blood flow to the area or the structural change in your pelvis that occurs after a prostatectomy. Your PT can offer strategies to help with this issue.
-
Sexual dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction and reduced sensation are other common symptoms for prostate cancer patients. Some men experience erectile dysfunction (ED), which means getting an erection is difficult. Another possible symptom includes climacturia, or orgasm-associated urinary incontinence. Pelvic floor muscle therapy and other treatments can help you manage these issues.
-
Pain in your pelvis, hips and lower back
Some patients experience pelvic or genital pain with discomfort that extends into the hips and lumbar (lower back) muscles. If you’re feeling these symptoms, this could be due to tissue and nerve disruption during surgery. It could also be the result of poor posture postsurgery and the strain this naturally puts on your body.
Pelvic floor therapy typically also targets the muscles that support your pelvis, such as your core, buttocks, thighs and more. Your PT can help you figure out what’s behind this discomfort and teach you how to gain better support and mobility in those areas.
Prostate cancer PT program treatments
While in physical therapy, you’ll receive one-on-one care from a licensed health professional who’s trained in the unique challenges of men’s pelvic and prostate health. Patient education is a key component of this program. This helps ensure you can recognize how certain treatments or lifestyle changes may help. You’ll also learn how to perform key exercises properly. For instance, your prostate cancer rehabilitation program may include:
- Targeted pelvic floor exercises — Postsurgical pelvic rehab focuses on bladder control, erectile function, core strength and pain management.
- Bladder and bowel retraining — A PT can provide strategies to help you reduce urgency, frequency and leaks.
- Breathwork and abdominal pressure training — These help protect your pelvic floor and improve functional strength.
- Manual therapy — Scar tissue and soft tissue mobilization helps restore flexibility, relieve pain and support better movement.
- Customized home programs — At-home exercises support your recovery between visits and help reinforce the gains you’ve made throughout rehabilitation.
- Biofeedback — Diagnostic testing helps measure pelvic floor endurance, strength and coordination, so you and your practitioner can track your progress.
Early intervention can help reduce pain and stress, so it’s a good idea to start PT before starting treatment. That way, you can establish a comfortable relationship with your practitioner, and they can help you learn more about your pelvic anatomy and what may change afterward.
Also, you’ll learn how to do some of the exercises you’ll be using in recovery ahead of time, so you can feel as prepared as possible post-op.
Forever Fit can help you recover with dignity and confidence
Don’t wait until the symptoms of prostate cancer overwhelm you after surgery to get help. Let the pelvic floor specialists at Forever Fit be part of your recovery plan. Backed by current research, our high-intensity pelvic floor strengthening protocols are designed to support men in their continence recovery journey. We deliver expert care with compassion and precision because we believe prostate cancer recovery deserves nothing less.
Contact our team today for more information about pelvic floor therapy or to schedule an appointment.
