Pelvic floor therapy in Creve Coeur, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can affect your self-esteem and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the field, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Creve Coeur, MO can help you achieve:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced pain and swelling
• Enhanced sexual performance and pleasure
• Increased confidence and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in Creve Coeur, MO specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they love most securely and successfully. If you are curious in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or wish to book an appointment with one of our specialists, please contact us online today or reach out to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you regain control and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and fibers that create a supportive hammock-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a foundation for the organs in the pelvic area, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor protects organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping manage several basic functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by providing you control over the contraction and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and avoids them from descending
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports well-functioning 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 lymphatic 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 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 constructs a sturdy base, holding the pelvic organs in place and avoiding 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 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 supports the organs inside your lower belly (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and helps to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have crucial roles. They aid 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 diminished 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 unwinding and coordinating 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
• Frequently feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to strain waste
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sex
• 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 doesn’t just affect people of a single certain 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 Creve Coeur, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you regain the pleasure of engaging in the things 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, embarrassed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is far from a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Creve Coeur, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a comfortable life.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help improving bladder and bowel control, alleviate 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 strong or more rigid muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can aid in diminishing or eliminating the pain you experience due to pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised during pregnancy and following childbirth. It can assist in preparing the pelvic floor for labor, reducing the likelihood of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on particular muscles and tackling any subsurface issues, therapy can boost sexual arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan will not just consist of monitored exercises. By offering education and guiding you in methods 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 promotes pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Creve Coeur, MO who can help you in improving your pelvic health and function. While certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate surgical correction, the majority of individuals in Creve Coeur, MO will likely find long-lasting and significant progress through minimally invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Creve Coeur, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Creve Coeur, MO will comprise an assessment of your current pelvic floor health. The remaining sessions will center around implementing your customized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Creve Coeur, MO physical therapist will take the time to get to know 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 evaluate your present condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Creve Coeur, MO may also involve an internal examination to more assess the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will aid in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the development of an optimal 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 Creve Coeur, MO will create a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will incorporate precise goals, exercises, 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 Creve Coeur, MO include:

• Kegel exercises to relax and engage the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Flexibility exercises to release tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle movements into daily tasks

The exercises your Creve Coeur, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your unique situation, 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 initially start with you lying down on your back and progress to seated 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 release (freeing up compressed nerves), joint manipulation (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 manage and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they engage and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle integration and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Alterations to your nutrition
• Fluid regulation
• Proper posture and lifting techniques
• Tactics for dealing with constipation
• Further recommendations for a better day-to-day life and way of living

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

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in offering personalized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Creve Coeur, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting favorable patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a delicate and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, empathy, and personalized attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in delivering evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and cutting-edge technology to guide our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we present a range of other physical therapy services that can supplement 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 Creve Coeur, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Creve Coeur, MO area, all committed to achieving your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Creve Coeur, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our committed physical and occupational therapists in Creve Coeur, MO have a singular mission: getting you back to the things you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it demanding to manage your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your goals. Request an appointment through our website or contact the nearest location to you to start your journey with Axes Physical Therapy in Creve Coeur, MO today.