Pelvic floor therapy in Berkeley, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical discomfort; it can affect your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the grass, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Berkeley, MO can help you with:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced pain and swelling
• Enhanced sexual function and satisfaction
• Increased self-assurance and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in Berkeley, MO specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they enjoy most safely and successfully. If you are curious in finding out more about pelvic floor therapy or wish to schedule 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 regain command and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that create a supportive net-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 manage several important functions.

The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by giving you command over the squeezing and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and prevents them from prolapsing
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports well-functioning 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 span 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 passageways or passages 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 mesh of muscles and tissues that creates a strong foundation, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from dropping down. It works like a reinforcing sling to uphold 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 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 keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have important roles. They help in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting 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 results in pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when you have difficulty unwinding and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Trouble urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are incomplete
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Regularly feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to force 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 doesn’t just affect people of a single certain age, gender or physical ability. While it can affect anyone deeply, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Berkeley, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to helping you regain the pleasure of engaging in the pursuits 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 disappointed, embarrassed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a life sentence. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Berkeley, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a comfortable existence.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can assist 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 promotes vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less resilient or more rigid muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can support in reducing or eradicating the discomfort you endure resulting from pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised during pregnancy and following childbirth. It can assist in readying the pelvic floor for childbirth, reducing the risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting particular muscles and addressing any subsurface issues, therapy can boost sexual arousal, orgasm, and general sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan will not exclusively consist of monitored exercises. By providing education and guiding you in tips you can practice on your own, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to sustain a way of life that fosters pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Berkeley, MO who can help you in improving your pelvic well-being and performance. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may require surgical treatment, most patients in Berkeley, MO will likely experience lasting and meaningful progress through less invasive physical therapy methods.

What Berkeley, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Berkeley, MO will involve an examination of your current pelvic floor health. The remaining sessions will emphasize implementing your tailored treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Berkeley, MO physical therapist will spend time to understand you and your issues. They will ask about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will conduct 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 Berkeley, MO may also include an internal examination to more determine the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized instead of an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will aid in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the formulation of an effective treatment plan to help you in resuming the activities you enjoy.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Berkeley, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will include defined goals, techniques, and expected 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 Berkeley, MO are:

• Kegel exercises to loosen and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle patterns into everyday tasks

The exercises your Berkeley, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your unique situation, but will all be aimed at retraining your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may commence with you reclining on your back and gradually advance to seated and upright 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 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 makes use of a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to control and align your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they tighten and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle integration and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a list of exercises to complete – it also provides you with entrée to professional, research-supported insights that enhance your daily life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Adjustments to your eating habits
• Liquid management
• Correct body alignment and lifting techniques
• Approaches for managing constipation
• Additional recommendations for a better everyday life and way of living

Complementing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments promotes enhanced pelvic floor function and general well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in offering customized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Berkeley, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and endeavors to attain positive patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a challenging and demanding issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, empathy, and customized attention.

We also hold the belief in providing evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and advanced 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 considering pelvic floor therapy in Berkeley, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Berkeley, MO area, all devoted to achieving your ideal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from living your fullest life. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in Berkeley, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the things you treasure the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it challenging to get through your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your ambitions. Schedule an appointment through our website or contact the closest location to you to start your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Berkeley, MO today.