Pelvic floor therapy in Barnhart, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can impact your self-perception and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the field, beginning parenthood, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Barnhart, MO can help you with:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Barnhart, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or wish to arrange an appointment with one of our experts, please contact us online today or get in touch to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you regain command and assurance in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is a complex of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that form a supportive hammock-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a base for the organs in your pelvis, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor shields organs and your spine from external pressure while helping control several everyday 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 healthy sexual function
• Provides support 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 extend from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone at the front, while also linking to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have channels 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 creates a resilient base, holding 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 helps you to hold in your poo (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 supports the organs inside your lower belly (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and helps to keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have important roles. They assist in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the correct times and contribute in sexual function and satisfaction by supporting the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is compromised or becomes too tense, it results in pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when you experience difficulty relaxing and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Challenges urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Frequently feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to push out urine or feces
• 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 can affect anyone, regardless of 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 Barnhart, 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 Barnhart, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a pain-free life.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help improving bladder and bowel control, diminish symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and offer better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination facilitates essential functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less resilient or less flexible muscles and addressing trigger points, physical therapy can aid in diminishing or eliminating the discomfort you endure 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 assist in preparing the pelvic floor for childbirth, reducing the likelihood of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on particular muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual arousal, climax, and general sexual fulfillment.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By offering education and instructing you in tips you can practice independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to sustain a routine that fosters pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Barnhart, MO who can assist you in boosting your pelvic well-being and function. Although some instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may require operative treatment, the majority of individuals in Barnhart, MO will likely experience sustained and significant improvement through minimally invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Barnhart, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Barnhart, MO will include an examination of your current pelvic floor health. The remaining sessions will emphasize implementing your personalized treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Barnhart, MO physical therapist will dedicate time to understand 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 determine your current condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Barnhart, MO may also include an internal examination to more evaluate the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed as an alternative to an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will assist in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the formulation of an optimal treatment plan to help you in returning to the activities you love.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Barnhart, MO will design a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will incorporate specific goals, exercises, and expected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to loosen and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to sync your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Stretching exercises to loosen tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle movements into everyday tasks

The exercises your Barnhart, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your particular 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 begin with you lying flat on your back and progress to sitting 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 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 utilizes a device to measure 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 real-time feedback on how they engage and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle integration and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a list of exercises to cross off – it also gives you entry to professional, evidence-based insights that boost your daily life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Adjustments to your diet
• Fluid management
• Proper body alignment and safe lifting methods
• Tactics for managing constipation
• Additional recommendations for a healthier everyday life and lifestyle

Complementing the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations fosters better pelvic floor function and general well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in delivering personalized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Barnhart, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and strives to achieve beneficial patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a delicate and difficult condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, empathy, and tailored attention.

We also hold the belief in delivering evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and advanced technology to shape our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we provide 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 interested in trying pelvic floor therapy in Barnhart, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Barnhart, MO area, all committed to achieving your optimal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from living your best life. At Axes, our committed physical and occupational therapists in Barnhart, MO have a singular mission: returning you to the things you treasure the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your participation in your favorite sport or making it demanding to get through your day, we will tailor our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your aspirations. Schedule an appointment through our website or reach out to the nearest location to you to start your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Barnhart, MO today.