Pelvic floor therapy in Defiance, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can affect your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from returning to a beloved sport, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Defiance, MO can lead to:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Defiance, MO specializes in developing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most safely and successfully. If you are curious in finding out more about pelvic floor therapy or want to book an appointment with one of our specialists, 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 the soft tissues and joints that form a supportive web-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a base for the organs in the pelvic area, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor protects organs and your spine from external pressure while helping manage several vital functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by giving you authority over the contraction and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and avoids them from prolapsing
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports healthy sexual function
• Provides support and alignment to the core and back
• During pregnancy, stretches to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymphatic circulation, contributing to maintain healthy tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles stretch from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone at the front, while also linking to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have channels 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 forms a sturdy base, holding the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from sagging. It works like a reinforcing sling to maintain 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 feces (puborectalis), one that connects the front and back bones of your pelvis and supports 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 essential roles. They help in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the correct times and play a part in sexual function and pleasure by providing support to the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is diminished 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 coordinating 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
• Frequently feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to push 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 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 Defiance, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to helping you recover the joy of engaging in the things 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 frustrated, ashamed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With pragmatic 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, stretch, 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, alleviate symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and offer better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination facilitates essential functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting weaker or less flexible muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can support in reducing or getting rid of the pain you endure 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 childbirth, decreasing the likelihood of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and promoting healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on specific muscles and tackling any underlying issues, therapy can boost 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 education and instructing you in techniques you can try on your own, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and empowers you to maintain a routine that promotes pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Defiance, MO who can assist you in enhancing your pelvic health and performance. While certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate surgical treatment, most individuals in Defiance, MO will likely experience sustained and substantial progress through less invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Defiance, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Defiance, MO will involve an evaluation of your existing pelvic floor condition. The subsequent sessions will center around implementing your personalized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. During this phase, your Defiance, MO physical therapist will take the time to familiarize themselves with 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 approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Defiance, MO may also include an internal examination to more assess the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will aid in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the creation of an optimal treatment plan to assist you in returning 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 Defiance, MO will design a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will incorporate defined goals, exercises, and projected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to relax and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to strengthen weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle patterns into everyday activities

The exercises your Defiance, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary based on your specific situation, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may begin 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 manipulating 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 rolling (lifting and rolling the skin to reduce adhesions).

Biofeedback Training

Biofeedback training employs a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to manage and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they engage and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and release the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle integration and command.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to complete – it also offers you access to expert, research-supported insights that improve your everyday life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Adjustments to your diet
• Fluid control
• Proper body alignment and lifting techniques
• Approaches for addressing constipation
• Further recommendations for a better day-to-day life and lifestyle

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

Other methods in pelvic floor therapy may include 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 strongly believe in providing customized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Defiance, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and aims to obtain favorable patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a delicate and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, empathy, and tailored attention.

We also hold the belief in delivering evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and state-of-the-art technology to inform our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we offer 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 exploring pelvic floor therapy in Defiance, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Defiance, MO area, all committed to attaining your ideal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from being the best version of yourself. At Axes, our devoted physio and occupational therapists in Defiance, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the things you treasure the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your participation in your favorite sport or making it difficult to get through your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your goals. Request an appointment online or contact the closest location to you to commence your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Defiance, MO today.