Pelvic floor therapy in Barnhart, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can affect your sense of self and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from getting back to a beloved activity, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Barnhart, MO can help you with:
- Improved bladder and bowel control
- Reduced pain and inflammation
- Enhanced sexual function and satisfaction
- Increased confidence and quality of life
Axes Physical Therapy in Barnhart, MO specializes in creating personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most safely and successfully. If you are curious in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or wish to arrange an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or contact to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you regain control and confidence in your pelvic health.
Understanding the Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor is a complex of muscles, ligaments, and fibers that form a supportive net-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 safeguards organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping manage several vital functions.
The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:
- Helps manage your bladder and bowels by giving 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 stability and alignment to the core and back
- During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
- Assists in blood and lymph circulation, helping to sustain 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 connecting to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have openings 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 preventing them from sagging. It works like a reinforcing sling to maintain 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 sustains 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 assist in controlling the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the right times and play a part in sexual function and satisfaction by supporting 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
- Trouble urinating or having bowel movements
- Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
- Leakage of urine or feces
- Regularly feeling the need to use the bathroom
- Sensation of needing to force out waste
- Pelvic discomfort
- Pain during sex
- Erectile dysfunction and trouble reaching orgasm
- 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 Barnhart, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you recover the joy of participating in the activities you hold dear 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 life sentence. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Barnhart, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a pain-free existence.
Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The advantages of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Barnhart, 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 provide 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 resilient or stiffer muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can aid in reducing or getting rid of the discomfort you experience due to 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 readying the pelvic floor for delivery, minimizing the chance of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and promoting healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to giving birth.
- Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on particular muscles and addressing any subsurface issues, therapy can boost sexual arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual gratification.
- Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By offering information and guiding you in techniques you can utilize at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and enables you to sustain a lifestyle that supports pelvic floor wellness.
At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Barnhart, MO who can support you in boosting your pelvic health and performance. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate surgical intervention, most individuals in Barnhart, MO will find lasting and significant improvement through less invasive physical therapy techniques.
What Barnhart, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves
Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Barnhart, MO will comprise an evaluation of your existing pelvic floor condition. The remaining sessions will focus on implementing your tailored treatment program.
Assessment and Evaluation
The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. In this appointment, your Barnhart, MO physical therapist will take the time to familiarize themselves with you and your symptoms. 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 present condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Barnhart, MO may also include an internal examination to better determine the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized rather than an internal examination.
The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will help in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the development of an effective treatment plan to help you in returning to the activities you cherish.
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 tailored to your needs. This plan will include defined goals, techniques, and projected results to guide your therapy.
Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy
Improving strength and balance is vital for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Barnhart, MO are:
- Kegel exercises to relax and contract the pelvic floor muscles
- Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
- Stretching exercises to loosen tight muscles
- Resistance exercises to strengthen weak muscles
- Functional training to incorporate new muscle patterns into daily tasks
The exercises your Barnhart, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your specific needs, but will all be aimed at retraining your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may commence with you lying flat on your back and evolve to sitting and standing 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 decompression (freeing up compressed nerves), joint manipulation (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 employs a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to manage and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they contract and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and relax the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle coordination and command.
Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications
Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to cross off – it also offers you entry to expert, evidence-based insights that boost your everyday life. Your physical therapist may suggest you with:
- Changes to your diet
- Liquid management
- Proper posture and lifting techniques
- Approaches for addressing constipation
- Additional tips for a healthier everyday life and lifestyle
Enhancing the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations promotes improved pelvic floor function and overall well-being.
Other methods in pelvic floor therapy may incorporate 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 firmly believe in delivering individualized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Barnhart, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting favorable patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a sensitive and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest respect, empathy, and personalized attention.
We also hold the belief in providing evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and cutting-edge technology to inform 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 exploring pelvic floor therapy in Barnhart, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Barnhart, MO area, all devoted to attaining your ideal pelvic health.
Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Barnhart, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today
Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to impede you from leading your best life. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in Barnhart, MO have a singular mission: returning you to the things you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it difficult to get through your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your goals. Schedule an appointment through our website or contact the most convenient location to you to start your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Barnhart, MO today.
