Pelvic floor therapy in Arnold, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical discomfort; it can impact your sense of self and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the basketball court, beginning parenthood, or just getting through 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 Arnold, MO can help you with:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Arnold, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they love most securely and effectively. If you are interested in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or want to book an appointment with one of our experts, please contact us online today or contact to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you reclaim command and confidence in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

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

The pelvic floor provides a number of vital functions for the body:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by giving you command over the squeezing and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from prolapsing
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports optimal sexual function
• Provides stability and posture to the core and back
• During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and supports vaginal delivery in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymphatic circulation, helping to sustain healthy tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles span from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone at the front, while also joining 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).

Think of the pelvic floor as a woven web of muscles and tissues that constructs a sturdy base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from descending down. It works like a supportive sling to preserve the position and function of pelvic organs.

The primary 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 assists you to hold in your feces (puborectalis), one that connects the front and back bones of your pelvis and maintains the urethra and rectum (pubococcygeus), and one that connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and sustains the organs inside your abdomen (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and helps to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have essential roles. They help in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and play a part in sexual function and satisfaction by supporting the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is diminished 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 relaxing and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Difficulty urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Regularly feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to push out urine or feces
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• 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, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Arnold, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to assisting you regain the joy of participating in the things you love 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 not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Arnold, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and experience a pain-free existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Arnold, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can aid in improving bladder and bowel control, diminish 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 relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less strong or less flexible muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can aid in lessening or eliminating the discomfort you feel resulting from pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised for expecting mothers and those who have just given birth. It can aid in readying the pelvic floor for labor, reducing the chance of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on particular muscles and dealing with any subsurface issues, therapy can enhance sexual arousal, orgasm, and general sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan won’t just include guided exercises. By providing education and instructing you in techniques you can try on your own, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to maintain a routine that supports pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Arnold, MO who can help you in boosting your pelvic well-being and performance. Although some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate operative treatment, the majority of individuals in Arnold, MO will likely find lasting and substantial progress through less invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Arnold, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Arnold, MO will include an assessment of your current pelvic floor condition. The remaining sessions will focus on implementing your tailored treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Arnold, MO physical therapist will spend time to understand you and your symptoms. They will inquire about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will perform a physical examination and musculoskeletal assessment of your trunk and pelvis to evaluate your current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Arnold, MO may additionally include an internal examination to more assess the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized instead of an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will assist in identifying 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 Arnold, MO will design a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will include precise goals, techniques, and anticipated results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving physical strength and balance is vital for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Arnold, MO include:

• Kegel exercises to release and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Flexibility exercises to release tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle movements into daily tasks

The exercises your Arnold, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will differ based on your specific situation, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start with you reclining on your back and evolve to seated and standing positions.

Manual Therapy

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

Biofeedback Training

Biofeedback training makes use of a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to control and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they tighten and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle integration and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to mark off – it also gives you access to skilled, research-supported insights that boost your everyday life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Alterations to your eating habits
• Fluid control
• Appropriate body alignment and safe lifting methods
• Strategies for addressing constipation
• Further advice for a more wholesome daily life and lifestyle

Complementing the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications encourages better pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

Other pelvic floor therapy techniques may involve therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, weighted cones, medications, and additional alternatives.

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in offering individualized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Arnold, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting beneficial patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a sensitive and demanding issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, and tailored attention.

We also embrace the belief in offering evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and cutting-edge technology to guide our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we provide a range of other physical therapy services that can complement your pelvic floor therapy, including:

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

If you are interested in trying pelvic floor therapy in Arnold, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Arnold, MO area, all dedicated to achieving your ideal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in Arnold, MO have a singular mission: getting you back to the activities you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it challenging to navigate your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your goals. Schedule an appointment online or get in touch with the closest location to you to start your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Arnold, MO today.