Pelvic floor therapy in Antonia, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can affect your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the grass, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Antonia, MO can help you with:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and inflammation
• Enhanced sexual function and pleasure
• Increased self-assurance and well-being

Axes Physical Therapy in Antonia, MO specializes in developing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they love most safely and effectively. If you are interested in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or want to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, please contact us online today or contact to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore command and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a complex of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that constitute a supportive hammock-like structure at the base of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a base for the organs in the pelvic area, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor shields organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping control several everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by providing you authority over the contraction and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and prevents them from prolapsing
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports healthy sexual function
• Provides sturdiness and posture to the core and back
• During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymphatic circulation, helping to sustain healthy tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles stretch from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone at the front, while also connecting to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have channels or canals for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).

Picture the pelvic floor as a woven network of muscles and tissues that constructs a strong base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. It works like a supportive sling to preserve the position and function of pelvic organs.

The chief muscles of the pelvic floor are called the levator ani and the coccygeus. The levator ani has three parts: one that wraps around the rectum and helps you to hold in your stool (puborectalis), one that connects the front and back bones of your pelvis and supports the urethra and rectum (pubococcygeus), and one that connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and sustains the organs inside your lower belly (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and works to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have essential roles. They help in regulating the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the appropriate times and play a part in sexual function and satisfaction by providing support to the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is compromised or becomes too tense, it leads to pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a condition where you experience difficulty unwinding and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Challenges urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Often feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to force out waste
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sex
• Erectile dysfunction and difficulty ejaculating
• Organ prolapse

Potential Causes

• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Pelvic surgery or trauma
• Obesity
• Aging
• Menopause
• Chronic constipation or straining
• Chronic coughing or sneezing
• Heavy lifting or high-impact exercise
• Psychological factors like stress or emotional trauma
• Nerve damage
• Surgery

Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just affect people of a single certain age, gender or physical ability. While it can have a negative impact on your physical, mental, and emotional health, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Antonia, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to helping you recover the pleasure of engaging in the things you treasure most in life.

How Physical Therapy Can Help With Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

If you are suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction, you may feel frustrated, ashamed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is far from a life sentence. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Antonia, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a comfortable life.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The positive outcomes of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Antonia, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can assist in improving bladder and bowel control, alleviate symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and provide better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination supports essential functioning, such as the ability to relax and contract the muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less strong or stiffer muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can aid in diminishing or eliminating the discomfort you feel caused by pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised during pregnancy and following childbirth. It can aid in readying the pelvic floor for labor, reducing the risk of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and tackling any underlying issues, therapy can improve sexual arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual health.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By providing information and guiding you in tips you can practice at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and enables you to maintain a lifestyle that promotes pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Antonia, MO who can support you in boosting your pelvic well-being and function. Although some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate operative correction, most individuals in Antonia, MO will experience lasting and significant progress through minimally invasive physical therapy methods.

What Antonia, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Antonia, MO will involve an examination of your existing pelvic floor health. The following sessions will center around implementing your personalized treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Antonia, MO physical therapist will dedicate time to familiarize themselves with you and your issues. They will inquire about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will conduct a physical examination and musculoskeletal assessment of your trunk and pelvis to evaluate your current condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Antonia, MO may additionally involve an internal examination to better evaluate the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will aid in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the formulation of an effective treatment plan to assist you in resuming the activities you love.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Antonia, MO will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will include defined goals, techniques, and projected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving physical strength and coordination is crucial for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Antonia, MO are:

• Kegel exercises to release and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to sync your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Flexibility exercises to loosen tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle patterns into everyday activities

The exercises your Antonia, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your specific situation, but will all be aimed at reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start with you lying down on your back and progress to sitting and upright positions.

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy, such as instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, involves your physical therapist using their hands to put pressure on and massage specific areas of your pelvis. It may include trigger point therapy (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve release (freeing up compressed nerves), joint mobilizing techniques (improving the mobility of your joints), deep tissue massage (relaxing tense muscles), or skin mobilization (lifting and rolling the skin to reduce adhesions).

Biofeedback Training

Biofeedback training makes use of a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to control and align your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they tighten and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle coordination and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to complete – it also provides you with entrée to expert, evidence-based insights that boost your day-to-day life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:

• Changes to your eating habits
• Liquid management
• Proper posture and safe lifting methods
• Tactics for managing constipation
• Further advice for a better daily life and lifestyle

Complementing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments fosters better pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

Other methods in pelvic floor therapy may include therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, weighted cones, medications, and other alternatives.

Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in Antonia, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in offering personalized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Antonia, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and endeavors to achieve beneficial patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a challenging and difficult condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, and personalized attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in offering evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and state-of-the-art technology to shape our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we present a range of other physical therapy services that can enhance your pelvic floor therapy, including:

• Orthopedic rehab
• Sports physical therapy
• Neurological physical therapy
• Geriatric physical therapy
• Pre- or post-surgery rehab

If you are exploring pelvic floor therapy in Antonia, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Antonia, MO area, all devoted to achieving your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Antonia, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from leading your most life. At Axes, our devoted physio and occupational therapists in Antonia, MO have a sole mission: getting you back to the things you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it demanding to get through your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your goals. Schedule an appointment online or reach out to the nearest location to you to embark on your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Antonia, MO today.