Pelvic floor therapy in Desoto, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical pain; it can impact your self-perception and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the field, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Desoto, MO can lead to:
- Improved bladder and bowel control
- Reduced pain and inflammation
- Enhanced sexual performance and pleasure
- Increased confidence and quality of life
Axes Physical Therapy in Desoto, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most securely and effectively. If you are interested in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or desire to book an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or contact to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you reclaim command and assurance in your pelvic health.
How the Pelvic Floor Works
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and fibers that form a supportive hammock-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a base for the organs in your pelvis, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor shields organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping control several basic functions.
The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:
- Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by giving you control over the contraction 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 assists in childbirth
- Assists in blood and lymph circulation, helping to sustain healthy 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 openings or passages for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).
Picture the pelvic floor as a woven web of muscles and tissues that constructs a resilient foundation, holding the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from sagging. It works like a supportive 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 assists 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 abdomen (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 assist in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and contribute in sexual function and pleasure by providing support to the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is weakened 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 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
- Often feeling the need to use the bathroom
- Sensation of needing to strain waste
- Pelvic aches
- 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, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Desoto, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to helping you recover the joy of participating in the things 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 hopeless. But a diagnosis is far from a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans tailored for you by your Desoto, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and experience a comfortable existence.
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 Desoto, 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 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 aid in diminishing or eliminating the pain you endure resulting from 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 after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to childbirth.
- Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and dealing with any subsurface issues, therapy can enhance sexual excitement, climax, and overall sexual satisfaction.
- Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan will not exclusively consist of guided exercises. By providing education and guiding you in approaches you can utilize on your own, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and enables you to sustain a routine that fosters pelvic floor health.
At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Desoto, MO who can support you in enhancing your pelvic health and function. While some instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might require operative intervention, most patients in Desoto, MO will find lasting and substantial improvement through minimally invasive physical therapy techniques.
What Desoto, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves
Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Desoto, MO will involve an assessment of your current pelvic floor condition. The remaining sessions will center around implementing your personalized treatment plan.
Assessment and Evaluation
The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Desoto, MO physical therapist will dedicate time to familiarize themselves with 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 determine your current condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Desoto, MO may additionally include an internal examination to better assess the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used as an substitute to an internal examination.
The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will assist in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the development of an optimal treatment plan to help you in returning to the activities you enjoy.
Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises
Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Desoto, MO will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will incorporate precise goals, exercises, and expected results 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 Desoto, MO include:
- Kegel exercises to loosen and engage the pelvic floor muscles
- Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
- Flexibility exercises to loosen tight muscles
- Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
- Functional training to incorporate new muscle movements into everyday tasks
The exercises your Desoto, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary based on your particular needs, but will all be aimed at reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start 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, is a hands-on technique that involves your physical therapist applying pressure or manipulating specific areas of your pelvis. It may include trigger point therapy (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 rolling (lifting and rolling the skin to reduce adhesions).
Biofeedback Training
Biofeedback training utilizes a device to gauge 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 contract and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle alignment and mastery.
Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications
Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to complete – it also gives you entrée to professional, research-supported insights that boost your daily life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:
- Alterations to your eating habits
- Fluid regulation
- Correct body alignment and safe lifting methods
- Approaches for dealing with constipation
- Additional advice for a healthier everyday life and way of living
Augmenting the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments promotes improved pelvic floor function and overall well-being.
Other pelvic floor therapy techniques may include therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, weighted cones, medications, and other alternatives.
Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in Desoto, MO
At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in providing personalized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Desoto, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and endeavors to obtain positive patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a challenging and demanding issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, empathy, and personalized attention.
We also subscribe to the belief in offering evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and state-of-the-art technology to shape our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we offer 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 Desoto, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Desoto, MO area, all dedicated to attaining your ideal pelvic health.
Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Desoto, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today
Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from living your best life. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Desoto, 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 demanding to manage your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your aspirations. Request an appointment online or reach out to the closest location to you to commence your journey with Axes Physical Therapy in Desoto, MO today.
