Move Smart: The Best Exercise Tips for BPH
As people reach middle age and old age, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common problem for men. Symptoms such as frequent urination, urgent urination, excessive nocturia, and difficulty in urination seriously affect the quality of life. Besides medication and surgery, choosing the right exercise can achieve twice the result with half the effort.
This article will discuss the exercise plans suitable for patients with BPH. The methods are simple and easy to follow, and can be practiced directly in daily life.
Why Do BPH Patients Need to Keep Exercising?
Exercise has significant benefits for BPH. Understanding this and practicing accordingly will be more effective.
Improve local circulation and reduce the burden on the prostate:
The prostate is located deep in the pelvis. After middle age, blood circulation slows down, and the accumulation of metabolic waste and inflammatory factors will aggravate discomfort. Exercise can accelerate the blood flow throughout the body, supply oxygen and nutrients to the prostate, and remove metabolic waste.
This is in line with the therapeutic concept of the Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill. Its diuretic and purgative effects, as well as its functions of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, can alleviate the stagnation of qi and blood in the prostate area and reduce the inflammatory stimulation.
When combined with exercise, it can better maintain the stability of the prostate and relieve the feeling of heaviness and distension.
Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles and improving urinary problems:
The pelvic floor muscles act like a "sling," supporting organs such as the prostate and bladder, and are crucial for urinary control. In patients with BPH, the strength of the pelvic floor muscles is weakened, leading to urine retention and difficulty in urination.
Targeted exercises can enhance the muscle's contraction power and coordination, reduce urine retention, and make urination smoother.
Regulate body condition and slow down the progression of the disease:
BPH is closely related to hormone balance, especially the influence of androgens. Exercise can regulate the endocrine system, stabilize hormone levels, reduce stimulation to prostate hyperplasia, and slow down the disease progression.
At the same time, exercise promotes the secretion of endorphins, alleviates anxiety caused by urinary discomfort, and helps the body recover.
4 Types of Safe Exercises Suitable for BPH Patients
BPH patients do not need to pursue high-intensity exercise. The best options are gentle, easy-to-perform, and sustainable types. The following categories can be directly chosen:
Aerobic exercise:
Aerobic exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, promotes circulation, and has a low impact on joints. It is a basic choice for patients with BPH.
Walking: The simplest form doesn't require any special selection of participants. It can be done in places like residential areas or parks. Do it for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the early morning or evening, with a slow pace and even breathing.
Take a break when you feel tired. Consistently doing this every day can improve the local circulation of the prostate gland, relax your body and mind, and enhance your sleep quality.
Jogging: The intensity is slightly higher, and it is suitable for those with better physical condition. Wear comfortable sports shoes. In the initial stage, do it for 15-20 minutes each time, with the speed controlled so that you don't get out of breath and can have a normal conversation.
After getting used to it, you can increase the duration to within 30 minutes. Jogging can enhance heart and lung function, accelerate circulation, and help alleviate urinary discomfort.
Swimming: As an aquatic sport, it causes almost no stress on joints. People with pre-existing knee or waist problems can also engage in it. Swimming engages all the muscles of the body, promoting circulation, strengthening the heart and lungs, and exercising the pelvic floor muscles.
It offers multiple benefits in one go. Perform 2-3 times a week, each session lasting 30-60 minutes. Various swimming styles, such as breaststroke and freestyle, are all suitable.
Special exercises for pelvic floor muscles:
Concentrated training of the pelvic floor muscles to directly address urinary problems. Just 10-15 minutes per day is sufficient, and the exercises can be performed in both sitting and lying positions.
Kegel exercises: Try to interrupt the flow of urine when urinating. The muscles that contract are the pelvic floor muscles. After finding it, consciously contract for 3-5 seconds, then slowly relax for 3-5 seconds, 10-15 times per group, 3-4 groups per day.
It can enhance muscle strength step by step without excessive exertion, and improve the problems of residual urine and dripping urine.
Squat: Both pelvic floor muscles and leg strength exercises. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly outward. Slowly squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground, and then stand up.
Keep your body stable and feel the contraction and relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles. 10-15 each time, 2-3 groups a day, slow down the movement, and find the right sense of strength.
Traditional health exercises:
This kind of exercise is slow in rhythm, gentle in movement, and takes into account breathing regulation. It is suitable for those who prefer slow exercise. Long-term practice can improve the overall state.
Tai Chi: The movements are smooth and continuous, and when combined with breathing exercises, they can help relax the body and mind. During the exercise, all the joints and muscles of the body are activated, promoting circulation, regulating the functions of internal organs, and alleviating anxiety related to BPH.
Follow the video to learn the basic movements, do it 3-5 times a week, for 30 minutes to 1 hour each time. There is no need to pursue the standard of the movements; just do it comfortably and relax.
Ba Duan Jin: Comprising only eight basic movements, it has a slow rhythm and low intensity, and can be practiced at any time of the day. By coordinating the movements with breathing, it can regulate qi and blood circulation, nourish internal organs, and also exercise the pelvic floor muscles.
Perform it once in the morning and once in the evening, each time for 20-30 minutes. Consistent practice can alleviate symptoms of BPH and improve mental state.
Simple Daily Exercises:
If you don't have time for the above-mentioned exercises, you can do the following short exercises during your fragmented time, which can also help improve circulation.
Whole body shaking: Stand with feet apart, gently shake your head and upper body, contract and extend your chest and abdomen, lift your lower body, and shake your feet. Continue until your whole body feels slightly warm. Do this for 5-10 minutes each time. It helps to promote blood circulation and relieve congestion.
Standing still upright: Stand straight, look straight ahead, breathe evenly, place your center of gravity on the front toes, let your hands hang naturally at your sides, and exert a slight force throughout your body as if in the military stance. Hold this position for about 5 minutes, which can promote the smooth flow of qi and blood throughout the body.
Lower body tapping: Clench both hands into fists and gently tap around the navel area. Use moderate force to avoid injury. Alternate hands and perform 20 repetitions for each group, for a total of 5 groups. This can enhance blood circulation around the genital area and relieve local heaviness and distension.
Precautions for Exercise in BPH Patients
When exercising, it is essential to adopt the right methods to achieve both benefits and avoid injuries. The following details must be firmly remembered:
Moderate intensity: Avoid high-intensity exercises such as fast running and heavy weight training to prevent aggravating the discomfort; the intensity should also not be too low, otherwise it will be ineffective.
During exercise, it is appropriate when one can have a normal conversation and does not breathe heavily. If any discomfort, such as pain, chest tightness, or dizziness, occurs, stop immediately and rest.
Fixed frequency: Avoid the practice of doing it half-heartedly. It is recommended to exercise at least 3-5 times a week, each session lasting for more than 30 minutes. You can incorporate aerobic exercises daily, and do squats and Kegel exercises every other day. This will allow your body sufficient recovery time. After persisting for 1-2 months, you will notice changes.
Conduct proper warm-up and relaxation: Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes before exercising, such as walking or moving your ankles and knees; do stretching exercises for 5 minutes after the workout, focusing on relaxing the leg and waist muscles to relieve soreness and reduce the risk of injury.
Pay attention to keeping warm: During winter exercise, wear adequate clothing to cover the abdomen and waist to prevent the muscles around the prostate from contracting due to cold, which could worsen the difficulty in urination; after exercising and sweating, change into dry clothes promptly to prevent catching a cold.
Clearly define the purpose of the exercise: The exercise is a supplementary therapy and cannot replace medication or surgery. For example, the Chinese patent medicine "Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill" comes from Dr. Li's clinic.
It can effectively alleviate symptoms such as frequent urination, urgent urination, and incomplete urination, control inflammation, and relieve bladder discomfort. However, it should be taken under professional guidance.
Besides, follow the doctor's instructions to take the medication on time. In case of a severe condition, surgery should also be considered. Comprehensive treatment is the reliable approach to dealing with BPH.
Conclusion
The discomfort caused by BPH can be quite annoying, but there is no need to be overly anxious. Choose 1-2 types of exercises that suit you and stick to them. Combined with the appropriate medication for treatment, the urination symptoms will gradually improve, and your quality of life will also increase.
Exercise doesn't require you to rush through it or do too much. Just do it gently and persistently. Take good care of yourself, and your body will be more stable.
