Pelvic floor muscle training improves erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Sexual Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) are common sexual dysfunctions.
• Musculoskeletal abnormalities are often implicated in ED and PE.
• Current treatments primarily rely on pharmaceutical interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) for treating ED and PE.
• To synthesize evidence from existing trials on PFMT for male sexual dysfunctions.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (CINAHL, Cochrane, Medline, Scopus, etc.) up to January 2018.
• Inclusion criteria focused on adult males (over 18) with ED or PE, excluding those with neurological injury or prior major urological surgery.
• Methodological quality was assessed using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool by two independent reviewers.

Main Results:

• Ten trials were included in the review.
• All included trials demonstrated comparative improvements and cure rates for ED following PFMT.
• A majority of trials indicated comparative improvement rates for PE, with varied overall cure rates.

Conclusions:

• Pelvic floor muscle training demonstrates efficacy in managing both erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.
• Significant heterogeneity in training protocols (duration, intensity, contact) was observed across studies.
• Further research is needed to establish an optimal PFMT protocol for these conditions.