You want it on one sheet. Here it is: the three exercises, the dose, and the cues, in the order a pelvic floor physical therapist teaches them. Print this page, or get the free Week 1 plan with the videos below.
1. The slow hold. Lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Gently squeeze and lift, as if stopping the flow of urine. Hold two to three seconds. Release fully. Rest ten seconds. Five repetitions, three times a day. Belly soft, glutes relaxed, keep breathing. Gentle beats hard.
2. The quick squeeze. Same position. Squeeze and let go, a quick pulse. Do not hold. Five in a row. Rest fifteen seconds. Three sets, twice a day.
3. The Knack. Squeeze right before a cough, a sneeze, standing up, or lifting. Brace first, then act. Every one is a free rep. No sets needed.
4. Let go completely. Slow belly breath in. Let the pelvic floor soften and drop. Breathe out easy. Finish each session with five slow breaths. Relaxing matters as much as squeezing.
A real contraction is small and internal. You should feel a gentle squeeze and lift deep in the pelvis. Your belly stays soft. Your glutes stay relaxed. You keep breathing. Nothing on the outside of your body should move.
If you feel yourself pushing down or out, you are doing it backwards. Think lift, not push. If you are turning red, you are trying too hard.
Dr. Meg Cochran, DPT shows the first pelvic floor exercise for men, lying down, with the cues that make it click.
Once you can find the muscle every time, the work moves in a set order. Longer holds. Then sitting. Then standing. Then walking. Lying down is where you learn it. Upright is where you need it.
More is not better. A tired pelvic floor is a weak one. Stick to the dose.
Learn these before surgery day, while nothing hurts. Stop once you have the catheter. Restart when the catheter is out and your surgeon clears you.
The free Week 1 plan below is the first week after surgery, with Dr. Meg's videos for each step. The Quick Start is the first month, with two sheets to print and eight videos.
On a computer, use File, then Print. On a phone, open the share menu and choose Print. The menus, forms, and footer are left off the printed copy.
How to Stop Leaking After Prostate Surgery
Kegel Exercises After Prostate Surgery: How to Do Them Right
Exercises to Do Before Prostate Surgery
When Can You Exercise After Prostate Surgery? Walking, Lifting, Golf, Running
The First Week After Prostate Surgery: What to Expect
Recovery After Prostate Surgery: A Week-by-Week Guide
Pads for Men After Prostate Surgery: What to Buy and How to Leave the House
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy After Prostate Surgery: Do You Need It?
The Stages of Incontinence After Prostatectomy
Still Leaking 3 or 6 Months After Prostate Surgery? What to Do Next
Life After Prostate Removal: What to Expect
Kegel Exercises for Men: How to Do Them Right
Your Husband Is Having Prostate Surgery: How to Help
How Long Does It Take to Recover From Prostate Surgery?
Do Kegels Work for Men? What They Help, and What They Do Not
Bladder Control Exercises for Men: The Three That Matter
TENA vs Depend After Prostate Surgery: Which to Buy for Each Stage
Dr. Meg Cochran is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in pelvic floor rehabilitation, and treats men after prostate surgery through Where You Are Physical Therapy in Oxford, Mississippi.
This article is educational and is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for in-person care. Follow your surgical team's instructions. If you have urgent symptoms including severe pain, fever, unexpected bleeding, or a sudden change in function, contact your healthcare provider.
The first week after prostate surgery, written out step by step by Dr. Meg. What to do with the catheter in. What to skip. What to have in the house. Enter your email and it opens right away.
You're in. Open your Week 1 plan
Educational content. Not medical advice.
The Prostate Recovery Quick Start is Dr. Meg showing you the first exercises on video, from before surgery through week 4, with the two sheets to print. Open it on any phone, tablet, or computer, from anywhere. It is educational, not physical therapy.
Get the Quick Start$85 one time · 30-day money-back guarantee
Want all twelve weeks and every exercise video? See the full Prostate Recovery Program, $295.