Funding will purchase a small ultrasound machine and trial a dedicated physiotherapy clinic for men who have had surgical prostate gland removal.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, with more than 26,000 men diagnosed in 2024. Radical prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate gland) is the most common treatment of localised prostate cancer.

In 2024, RBWH and STARS performed more than 130 prostatectomies, a surgery that carries the risk of urinary incontinence and poor pelvic muscle health. Beyond surgical care, it is important to support longer-term recovery through targeted physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

Currently, neither RBWH or STARS provide a physiotherapy-led male pelvic floor exercise service. Patients either rely on written resources provided or incur large out-of-pocket expenses associated with visiting a community physiotherapist. Therefore, some patients do not seek physiotherapy support at all.

This service will fill an unmet need in physiotherapy-led care for hundreds of men every year.

This funding will support the trial of a weekly male pelvic floor physiotherapy clinic. The ultrasound machine will be used to educate patients about their pelvic floor exercises and assess their recovery progress.

The team expects to see lower rates of urinary incontenience, lower rates of urinary tract infections and overall improved patients wellbeing and recovery, both physical and psychological.