Pelvic floor therapy in Crestwood, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can affect your self-perception and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from getting back to a favorite sport, beginning parenthood, or just getting through a day with the same assurance and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you need to feel like your best you again. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Crestwood, MO can help you achieve:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Crestwood, MO specializes in developing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they enjoy most safely and successfully. If you are interested in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or desire 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 restore command and confidence in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is a group 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 foundation for the organs in your pelvis, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor safeguards organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping control several vital functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by giving you authority over the contraction and release 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 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 preserve 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 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).

Imagine the pelvic floor as a woven web of muscles and tissues that forms a strong foundation, holding the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from descending down. It works like a supportive 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 assists you to hold in your feces (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 crucial roles. They assist in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and contribute in sexual function and satisfaction 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 occurs when you have difficulty unwinding and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Difficulty urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Often feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to push out waste
• Pelvic discomfort
• Pain during sex
• Erectile dysfunction and difficulty 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 have a negative impact on your physical, mental, and emotional health, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Crestwood, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to helping 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, embarrassed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Crestwood, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy 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 Crestwood, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can assist 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 promotes essential functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less strong or less flexible muscles and addressing trigger points, physical therapy can assist in lessening or eliminating the discomfort you feel 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 aid in preparing the pelvic floor for labor, decreasing the chance of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting particular muscles and addressing any hidden issues, therapy can improve sexual arousal, orgasm, and general sexual fulfillment.
• Education and self-management — Your personalized pelvic floor therapy plan won’t solely comprise monitored exercises. By providing education and teaching you approaches you can try independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and empowers you to maintain a lifestyle that promotes pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Crestwood, MO who can help you in improving your pelvic health and function. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate operative intervention, the majority of individuals in Crestwood, MO will likely find lasting and significant improvement through less invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Crestwood, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Crestwood, MO will involve an evaluation of your existing pelvic floor health. The subsequent sessions will emphasize implementing your customized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. During this phase, your Crestwood, MO physical therapist will take the time to get to know you and your symptoms. 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 evaluate your current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Crestwood, MO may also involve an internal examination to further evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed instead of an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will aid in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the development of an effective treatment plan to assist you in getting back 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 Crestwood, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will incorporate defined goals, exercises, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to relax and engage the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Flexibility exercises to loosen tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle actions into routine tasks

The exercises your Crestwood, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your particular 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 begin with you reclining on your back and gradually advance 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 myofascial release (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 makes use of a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to regulate and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they contract and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle alignment and command.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to mark off – it also offers you entrée to professional, evidence-based insights that boost your day-to-day life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Changes to your eating habits
• Liquid regulation
• Correct posture and safe lifting methods
• Strategies for managing constipation
• Further advice for a better everyday life and lifestyle

Enhancing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications fosters better pelvic floor function and overall 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 Crestwood, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in offering personalized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Crestwood, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and endeavors to achieve favorable patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a sensitive and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, and customized attention.

We also embrace the belief in delivering evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and state-of-the-art 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 interested in trying pelvic floor therapy in Crestwood, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Crestwood, MO area, all devoted to realizing your best pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to keep you from living your fullest life. At Axes, our dedicated physio and occupational therapists in Crestwood, MO have a unified mission: getting you back to the activities you treasure the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation 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 ambitions. Request an appointment through our website or reach out to the most convenient location to you to embark on your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Crestwood, MO today.