Pelvic floor therapy in Cottleville, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical pain; it can impact your sense of self and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from returning to a favorite activity, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you need to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Cottleville, MO can help you with:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Cottleville, MO specializes in creating personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they love most safely and effectively. If you are interested in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or desire to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or get in touch to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore control and confidence in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a complex of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that form a supportive hammock-like structure at the base 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 protects organs and your spine from external pressure while helping manage several everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:

• Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by providing you control over the squeezing 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, stretches to accommodate a growing fetus and supports vaginal delivery in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymph circulation, helping to maintain vibrant 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 passageways or passages 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 network of muscles and tissues that creates a resilient foundation, 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 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 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 helps to keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have important roles. They help in regulating the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the correct 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
• Frequently feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to force out waste
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Erectile dysfunction and trouble 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, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Cottleville, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to helping you recover the joy of participating in the pursuits you cherish 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 despairing. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Cottleville, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and experience a comfortable existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The positive outcomes of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Cottleville, 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 facilitates vitals functioning, such as the ability to relax and contract the 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 diminishing or eradicating the discomfort you experience caused by 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 delivery, decreasing the likelihood of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on specific muscles and addressing any hidden issues, therapy can enhance sexual excitement, climax, and overall sexual gratification.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By offering education and guiding you in tips you can try independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and empowers you to maintain a routine that fosters pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Cottleville, MO who can support you in improving your pelvic health and performance. Although some instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may require surgical intervention, most individuals in Cottleville, MO will find sustained and meaningful improvement through non-invasive physical therapy methods.

What Cottleville, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Cottleville, MO will involve an assessment of your current pelvic floor condition. The subsequent sessions will center around implementing your customized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Cottleville, MO physical therapist will take the time to understand you and your symptoms. 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 Cottleville, MO may additionally involve an internal examination to further determine the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed instead of an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will aid in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the formulation of an suitable treatment plan to assist you in getting back 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 Cottleville, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will include precise goals, techniques, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to relax and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to release tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle movements into routine activities

The exercises your Cottleville, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your specific 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 begin with you lying down on your back and evolve to seated and upright 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 myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve decompression (freeing up compressed nerves), joint mobilization (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 employs a device to measure 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 contract and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle alignment and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Alterations to your eating habits
• Fluid management
• Appropriate body alignment and safe lifting methods
• Tactics for addressing constipation
• Additional advice for a more wholesome everyday life and way of living

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

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in delivering personalized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Cottleville, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting positive patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a sensitive and difficult condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, compassion, and tailored attention.

We also embrace the belief in delivering evidence-based and holistic 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 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 Cottleville, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Cottleville, MO area, all committed to realizing your ideal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to keep you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our dedicated physio and occupational therapists in Cottleville, MO have a sole mission: returning you to the activities you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it challenging to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your aspirations. Schedule an appointment online or reach out to the closest location to you to embark on your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Cottleville, MO today.