Men's health awareness: igniting change through education
Tim leads discussion on Men’s Health one workshop at a time
Tim McKeough has been a dedicated Physiotherapist with Southern Cross Care Health & Fitness for several years.
He's been helping his colleagues develop professionally by hosting educational workshops to improve skills. During these sessions, he shares his knowledge on topics he's passionate about and takes suggestions from his peers so they get to explore areas they're interested in too.
His workshops cover important topics that health professionals who care for older patients need to have an understanding of. These include balance issues related to vestibular disorders, ways to strap tape to stabilise joints and limbs, and managing various musculoskeletal conditions.
Tim recently completed a course about the in’s and out’s of men’s health. He then organised a workshop covering a plethora of men's issues including incontinence, pelvic pain, prostate-related concerns, and erectile dysfunction to share what he learned.
“Men aren’t great at talking about these kinds of issues and especially ones that are mental or psychological in nature,” Tim explained.
“Most of the guys we assess are experiencing at least one of these conditions, so with increased knowledge and understanding of these topics, we are able to help them through their journey with it.”
Prostate problems are common among older men - with about one in two people aged over 50 years experiencing some prostate enlargement in their lifetime.
Prostate cancer also is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, with an estimated one in six men diagnosed by the time they are 85.
“We want to identify clients with a history of prostate surgery or those currently prepping for the surgery, for example, and encourage conversations with them about it and the symptoms that can come along with it, like urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction,” Tim said.
Physiotherapists can help men manage these symptoms by prescribing pelvic floor exercises to help with incontinence, for example. Retraining and exercising the pelvic floor muscles effectively before and after surgery can help men regain bladder control sooner. These exercises also can improve erectile function and reduce pelvic muscle tension and pain to improve their quality of life.
“Oftentimes, our clients spend more time with us and trust us more than their own GPs and psychologists,” said Tim.
“So because of that, we really try to get to know them so they are comfortable speaking with us about their issues and we can treat them and get them the help that they need.”
Our health and fitness experts can help you to maintain or improve your independence and quality of life. For more information visit one of our locations, or give us a call on 1800 852 772.
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