Pelvic floor therapy in Ballwin, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can impact your sense of self and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from getting back to a favorite activity, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and ease you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Ballwin, MO can help you achieve:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and swelling
• Enhanced sexual performance and pleasure
• Increased self-assurance and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in Ballwin, MO specializes in creating personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most securely and successfully. If you are curious in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or desire to book an appointment with one of our experts, please contact us online today or reach out to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore command and confidence in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and fibers that constitute a supportive web-like structure at the base of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a base for the organs in the pelvic region, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor safeguards organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping control several basic functions.

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

• Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by providing you control over the contraction and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from descending
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports optimal sexual function
• Provides sturdiness and alignment to the core and back
• During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and supports vaginal delivery in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymph circulation, contributing to preserve vibrant tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles extend 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 passageways or passages for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).

Imagine the pelvic floor as a woven web of muscles and tissues that forms a strong base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. It works like a supportive sling to maintain the position and function of pelvic organs.

The main 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 poo (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 supports the organs inside your lower belly (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and works to keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have crucial roles. They aid in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and play a part in sexual function and pleasure 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 relaxing and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Difficulty urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are incomplete
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Often feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to push out waste
• Pelvic discomfort
• 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 can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability. While it can affect anyone deeply, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Ballwin, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to assisting you regain the joy of participating in the activities 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 disappointed, ashamed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Ballwin, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a comfortable life.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The advantages of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Ballwin, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can aid in improving bladder and bowel control, reduce symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and offer better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination supports vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less strong or stiffer muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can assist in reducing or eliminating the pain you feel resulting from 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 delivery, reducing the chance of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and addressing any hidden issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, climax, and general sexual health.
• Education and self-management — Your personalized pelvic floor therapy plan will not solely consist of guided exercises. By providing information and guiding you in techniques you can practice autonomously, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and enables you to maintain a routine that promotes pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Ballwin, MO who can assist you in improving your pelvic well-being and performance. While some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate surgical intervention, the majority of patients in Ballwin, MO will likely find sustained and substantial improvement through non-invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Ballwin, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Ballwin, MO will include an examination of your current pelvic floor condition. The subsequent 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 Ballwin, MO physical therapist will take the time to get to know you and your issues. They will ask about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will perform a physical examination and musculoskeletal assessment of your trunk and pelvis to assess your present condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Ballwin, MO may additionally include an internal examination to better assess the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will aid in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the formulation of an effective treatment plan to help you in getting back to the activities you enjoy.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Ballwin, MO will create a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will incorporate precise goals, exercises, and projected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to relax and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to sync your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Stretching exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle actions into routine tasks

The exercises your Ballwin, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your specific needs, 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 commence 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 manipulating specific areas of your pelvis. It may include trigger point therapy (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve decompression (freeing up compressed nerves), joint mobilizing techniques (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 utilizes a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to regulate and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they tighten and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and release the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle alignment and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Adjustments to your nutrition
• Fluid regulation
• Proper posture and safe lifting methods
• Strategies for managing constipation
• Further recommendations for a better daily life and way of living

Enhancing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations fosters improved pelvic floor function and general well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in delivering individualized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Ballwin, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and aims to attain favorable patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a delicate and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest respect, empathy, and tailored attention.

We also hold the belief in providing evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and state-of-the-art technology to inform our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we offer 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 exploring pelvic floor therapy in Ballwin, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Ballwin, MO area, all devoted to attaining your optimal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to impede you from living your most life. At Axes, our committed physical and occupational therapists in Ballwin, MO have a sole mission: returning you to the activities you love the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your participation 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 aspirations. Schedule an appointment online or get in touch with the nearest location to you to embark on your journey with Axes Physical Therapy in Ballwin, MO today.