17/09/2026
Meet men’s health physio Tom Harris, who was inspired to enter his area of speciality after watching a close family friend go through prostate cancer treatment.
“In our final week at university, we had a one hour lecture on men’s pelvic health and I recall sitting there thinking, ‘if I’m a 24-year-old male with no idea of how the pelvic floor muscles function, what chance does the average bloke on the street have?’”
“We also had a close family friend go through prostate cancer treatment in his early fifties and I wanted to be able to provide better support than what was available at that time.”
This , we’re highlighting Tom’s work and encouraging men to take charge of their health and get tested early.
Advice Tom gives his patients is to keep asking questions and have a support person they can talk to.
“There is an old saying 'men don't talk face to face, they talk side to side' - I often encourage partners to discuss things with their partner when out walking, driving etc. Men will sort the worlds issues sitting side by side at cricket or football match!”
As a men’s health physio, Tom assists men in preparing their bodies (and minds) in the best way possible to manage their treatment.
“For men undergoing surgery, a lot of this is around very specific pelvic floor muscle training. For men undergoing radiation, we look at the pelvic floor muscles as well as overall aerobic and strength to reduce the side effects of radiation including fatigue. Other men may need hormone treatments which can have quite significant side effects. Working with them to develop a suitable exercise plan can dramatically reduce a number of these side effects.”
As well as working here at John Flynn Private Hospital, Tom has set up men’s pelvic health clinics from North Brisbane down to the Gold Coast and Northern NSW as part of Ramsay Health Plus.
He’s also recently been recognised as an APA Titled Cancer Physiotherapist, an acknowledgement of his training and experience in this area.
