Pelvic floor therapy in Defiance, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can impact your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from returning to a beloved activity, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and ease you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to feel like your best you again. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Defiance, MO can help you achieve:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced pain and inflammation
• Enhanced sexual function and satisfaction
• Increased confidence and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in Defiance, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most securely and successfully. If you are interested in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or wish to schedule 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 restore command and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that form 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 region, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor shields organs and your spine from external pressure while helping manage several everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by providing you control over the squeezing 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 sturdiness and posture 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 preserve healthy tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles extend 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 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 network of muscles and tissues that forms a resilient base, holding the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from dropping 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 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 supports 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 essential roles. They aid in regulating 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 results in pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a condition where 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 need to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to force out urine or feces
• Pelvic pain
• 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 affect anyone deeply, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Defiance, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to assisting you recover the joy of participating in the activities 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 frustrated, ashamed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Defiance, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a pain-free existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The advantages of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Defiance, 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 provide better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination supports essential 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 painful spots, physical therapy can support in diminishing or eradicating the pain 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 aid in preparing the pelvic floor for delivery, reducing the chance of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can enhance sexual excitement, orgasm, and overall sexual fulfillment.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By offering information and instructing you in approaches you can practice independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to maintain a lifestyle that fosters pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Defiance, MO who can help you in boosting your pelvic health and performance. Although certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate operative intervention, most individuals in Defiance, MO will experience sustained and substantial improvement through minimally invasive physical therapy methods.

What Defiance, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Defiance, MO will comprise an assessment of your current pelvic floor health. The remaining sessions will focus on implementing your tailored treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Defiance, 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 assess your present condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Defiance, MO may also include an internal examination to better determine the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized instead of an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will assist in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the formulation of an suitable treatment plan to assist you in resuming the activities you love.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Defiance, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will incorporate defined goals, exercises, and expected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to loosen and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Flexibility exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to strengthen weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle patterns into daily activities

The exercises your Defiance, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your specific needs, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may commence with you reclining on your back and evolve to sitting and standing 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 manipulating specific areas of your pelvis. It may include myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve mobilization (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 utilizes a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to control and align your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they engage and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and release the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle coordination and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Alterations to your diet
• Liquid regulation
• Proper body alignment and lifting techniques
• Tactics for addressing constipation
• Further tips for a more wholesome daily life and way of living

Enhancing the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments encourages improved pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in offering individualized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Defiance, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and strives to obtain favorable patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a sensitive and difficult condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, empathy, and customized attention.

We also embrace the belief in providing evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and advanced technology to inform our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we present 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 exploring pelvic floor therapy in Defiance, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Defiance, MO area, all devoted to achieving your best pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to impede you from living your fullest life. At Axes, our committed physical and occupational therapists in Defiance, MO have a unified mission: getting you back to the activities you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it demanding to get through your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your goals. Schedule an appointment through our website or contact the most convenient location to you to start your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Defiance, MO today.