Pelvic floor therapy in Desoto, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can impact your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from getting back to a favorite activity, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to feel like your best you again. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Desoto, MO can lead to:
- Improved bladder and bowel control
- Reduced discomfort and swelling
- Enhanced sexual performance and pleasure
- Increased confidence and quality of life
Axes Physical Therapy in Desoto, MO specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they enjoy most safely and effectively. If you are interested in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or wish to arrange an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or get in touch to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore control and confidence in your pelvic health.
Understanding the Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that constitute a supportive hammock-like structure at the base 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 safeguards organs and your spine from external pressure while helping control several everyday functions.
The pelvic floor provides a number of vital functions for the body:
- Helps control your bladder and bowels by providing you control over the contraction and release of muscles
- Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from prolapsing
- Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
- Supports well-functioning sexual function
- Provides stability 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, contributing 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 canals 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 creates a sturdy base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from dropping down. It works like a supportive sling to maintain 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 stool (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 works to keep your pelvis stable.
The pelvic floor muscles have crucial roles. They assist 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 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 experience difficulty unwinding and coordinating 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 urge to use the bathroom
- Feeling like you need to strain urine or feces
- Pelvic pain
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Erectile dysfunction and trouble 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, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Desoto, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to assisting you regain the joy of engaging in the pursuits 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, ashamed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is far from a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans customized 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, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits 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, diminish symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and provide better support for the pelvic organs.
- Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination supports vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
- Pain management — By targeting less resilient or more rigid muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can assist in lessening or getting rid of the discomfort you feel 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 childbirth, decreasing the risk of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to childbirth.
- Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on particular muscles and tackling any subsurface issues, therapy can enhance sexual arousal, climax, and overall sexual satisfaction.
- Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By offering information and teaching you tips you can try at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively 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 skilled pelvic floor therapists in Desoto, MO who can assist you in boosting your pelvic health and function. Although certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate operative correction, most individuals in Desoto, MO will find lasting and substantial improvement through less invasive physical therapy techniques.
What Desoto, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves
Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Desoto, MO will involve an examination of your current pelvic floor condition. The following sessions will center around implementing your tailored 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 understand 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 assess your current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Desoto, MO may also include an internal examination to better evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized instead of an internal examination.
The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will assist in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the creation of an optimal treatment plan to help you in getting back to the activities you love.
Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises
Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Desoto, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will incorporate specific goals, exercises, and anticipated 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 Desoto, MO are:
- Kegel exercises to release 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
- Resistance exercises to develop weak muscles
- Functional training to integrate new muscle actions into routine tasks
The exercises your Desoto, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will differ based on your unique needs, but will all be aimed at retraining your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may commence with you reclining on your back and progress to sitting and upright 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 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 mobilization (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 learn how to manage and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you live feedback on how they engage and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and release the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle coordination and mastery.
Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications
Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to mark off – it also provides you with entrée to expert, evidence-based insights that enhance your daily life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:
- Adjustments to your nutrition
- Liquid regulation
- Appropriate posture and lifting techniques
- Approaches for managing constipation
- Additional tips for a more wholesome daily life and way of living
Complementing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations promotes improved pelvic floor function and general well-being.
Other pelvic floor therapy techniques may incorporate therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, weighted cones, medications, and additional alternatives.
Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in Desoto, MO
At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in offering customized 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 attain beneficial patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a challenging and demanding issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, empathy, and tailored attention.
We also subscribe to the belief in providing 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 offer a range of other physical therapy services that can enhance 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 Desoto, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Desoto, MO area, all committed to attaining your best pelvic health.
Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Desoto, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today
Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from leading your most life. At Axes, our dedicated physio 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 get through your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your ambitions. Schedule an appointment through our website or contact the closest location to you to start your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Desoto, MO today.
