what men can expect during a routine physical

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what tests to expect at your male physical and things to ask while you’re with your doctor.

by karen hawthorne

published jun 03, 2021

last updated feb 20, 2025

7 minute read

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7 minute read

join the conversation

in 2014, more than 19 per cent of men in canada did not have a regular medical doctor. getty

importance of male annual physical exams

the male physical exam is an essential part of keeping on top of your health, refocusing on prevention with a review of lifestyle habits, and early detection of any health issues. your doctor will spend time listening to your concerns and providing counseling for your particular risk factors. the male annual physical is also a chance to update your doctor on any change in family history and discuss the health risks you may be concerned about or any general symptoms you may have noticed, like pain, an ongoing cough, and stiffness.

according to the latest available statistics canada data, as of 2019, 17.4 per cent of men in canada did not have a regular medical doctor, compared to approximately 11.7 per cent of females. men aged 18 to 34 were most likely to not have a regular doctor, followed by women in the same age group. men aged 35 to 49 were the next most likely to not have a regular doctor.

not having access to a regular doctor or choosing to not have a male physical exam if you do have access to a doctor, can have serious consequences for missing the early detection of cancer or chronic physical conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure – these are some of the biggest threats to men’s health. in 2020, cancer was the leading cause of death in men, followed by heart disease, statistics canada reports.

common health concerns like high blood pressure, for example, is a silent condition, so you won’t know you have it without a blood pressure check at your male physical checkup. when your resting blood pressure level rises too high, it can scar, stiffen and weaken blood vessels, notes johns hopkins medicine. this effect can double your risk for a heart attack, quadruple your odds for a stroke, raise your risk for heart failure, and lead to possible vision loss, kidney problems, dementia, circulation problems and erectile dysfunction.

what to expect during a male physical exam

how long does a physical take? about 30 minutes to an hour, according to the canadian men’s health foundation. what happens at a physical for a man will vary based on age and medical history, but will generally include the following:

vital signs: blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate and temperature
heart and lung exam: listening with a stethoscope to detect irregular heartbeat or heart murmur, or decreased breath sounds, breath wheezes or crackles
head and neck exam: saying “ah” to inspect throat, tonsils, teeth and gums
abdominal exam: feeling for any masses or other abnormalities
neurological exam: nerves, muscle strength, reflexes, balance
height and weight, waist circumference and other risk factors such as smoking, activity level and nutrition
testicular exam: checking for tenderness, lumps or changes in size
penis exam: checking for warts or ulcers from a sexually transmitted disease or swelling and skin discolouration
hernia check: the infamous “turn-your-head-and-cough” during which the doctor holds your scrotum while you cough. while this may seem awkward, this routine part of a physical exam for men of all ages is an effective way to identify the fairly common condition — one in four men will develop a hernia— which occurs when a weakness in the abdominal wall allows internal tissues to slip down into the scrotum.
prostate exam: it’s a reason many men cite for not seeing a doctor. during what’s known as a digital rectal exam (dre), the doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to feel the size and shape of the prostate. not particularly comfortable, for sure, but important in a save-your-life kind of way, since it can help catch prostate cancer. not all doctors include dre on their male physical exam to-do list because of skepticism over false positives — there is also a blood test that can be done called the prostate-specific antigen, or psa, test. if you have concerning symptoms, such as an increase in urination frequency or blood in your urine, or are at high-risk for prostate cancer, a dre may be a smart choice during physicals. one key thing to remember: health care professionals see a lot of genitalia in every day — the human body is their job.
a male physical also includes a discussion on your medical history and lifestyle habits to address any family health issues and evaluate overall health and general appearance. for example, do your skin, nails and hair look healthy? are you able to easily stand and walk?
as the canadian men’s health foundation points out, younger men in their 20s and 30s, unless they have specific health issues, have fewer health tests. doctors will address their questions, ask them about their sexual activity, and may do bloodwork and urine tests. what they do for a physical for a man in his 40s and older qualifies for different screening tests for type 2 diabetes, cholesterol, heart disease and, as mentioned, prostate cancer.

frequency of male physical exams

a male physical checkup generally is recommended once a year for people after age 50, but frequency depends on individual health and lifestyle.

men younger than 50 should have a physical every three to five years, according to the mayo clinic. in 2017, the canadian task force on preventive health care advised eliminating the male annual physical in favour of scheduled preventative visits where a doctor offers counselling and routine screening tests and immunizations.

the task force recommends talking to your health-care provider to customize the frequency of your physicals based on age, sex and risk factors.

promoting men’s health through physical exams

as the mayo clinic notes, men are hesitant to see a doctor if something seems wrong with their health, or to seek preventive screenings. the problem is, delaying or avoiding a male physical checkup could lead to a treatable concern getting worse. early detection is the best way to improve treatment effectiveness and management.

a male physical exam gives you the opportunity to get insight into your personal health, track changes and evaluate your lifestyle habits. this includes addressing mental health and emotional well-being as part of your physical. in 2018, approximately 5.3 million people in canada said they needed some help for their mental health over the year prior, according to stats canada. canadians with a regular physician were more likely to report that their mental health needs were met, compared to those without.

family physicians are trained to help and can refer you to appropriate mental health support if needed. it is completely appropriate to talk about any concerns that might fly under the radar, such as lethargy, general disinterest, or feelings of sadness or anger.

historically, men have been discouraged from talking about mental health concerns for fear of appearing weak or emotional, making it difficult to understand the landscape. for example, while up to 6.2 per cent of american men develop depression each year (the number for women is 10.3 per cent), the national institute for mental health notes that depression can look different in men and women. men may show symptoms other than sadness, instead seeming angry or irritable, and are more likely to use alcohol or drugs as a coping strategy. suppression of depression symptoms can result in physical ailments, including migraines, back pain and irritable bowel syndrome. compounding the problem, men under-utilize mental health services, with statistics showing that women are almost three times more likely to reach out to services for help.

an important tip for maintaining a lifestyle for both physical and mental health is self-advocacy – getting informed and keeping your scheduled visits for physicals with your primary health-care provider. if you tend to forget questions in the moment, try keeping an ongoing list — like in the notes app on your phone — where you can jot questions down as they pop into your head during daily life. that way, you have a ready-to-go list at your appointment. the canadian men’s health foundation offers free checklists to help guide you as you age.

finding quality health care for men

having a family doctor, a registered physician and office that looks after your primary care is a useful tool to long-term health. depending on the clinic setup, a primary care physician should track your health concerns and changes over longer periods of time, send reminders for your next routine checkup, and follow up with general concerns through the years. establishing a relationship with a primary care physician also means that they will have records of what medications you’ve taken in the past, treatments you’ve undergone and what worked or didn’t work for you. they will also refer you to specialized men’s health clinics for sexual health concerns or hair loss, for example.

another question is understanding insurance coverage for physical exams, which your doctor can explain further. provincial and territorial public health plans in canada cover most hospital and doctor visits, however an annual physical may not be covered for “healthy individuals.”

if you don’t have a family doctor, check with your province or territory’s health authority to see if they have a centralized directory. for example, in ontario, health care connect serves as a waiting list to match residents to available family doctors. most provinces have a similar service.

while you wait, it’s not a bad idea to try calling your local walk-in clinic to schedule a routine male physical. they may also have resources to connect you with a family office taking clients.

connecting with a health team and talking about symptoms early — both physical and mental — may help patients avoid any major health scares and enjoy good health long into their senior years. it’s never too late to reach out.

karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.