Pelvic floor therapy in Femme Osage, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can impact your self-perception and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from returning to a beloved sport, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Femme Osage, 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 Femme Osage, MO specializes in developing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they love most safely and effectively. If you are interested in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or wish to schedule 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 reclaim control and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a complex of muscles, ligaments, and fibers that constitute a supportive web-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 safeguards organs and your spine from external pressure while helping manage several everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by giving you authority over the contraction and relaxing 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, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and supports vaginal delivery in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymph circulation, helping to sustain vibrant tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles stretch 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 creates a sturdy base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from dropping down. It works like a reinforcing sling to preserve 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 maintains the urethra and rectum (pubococcygeus), and one that connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and sustains 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 important roles. They help in controlling the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the correct times and play a part in sexual function and pleasure 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 occurs when you experience difficulty relaxing and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Challenges urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Frequently feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to force out waste
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Erectile dysfunction and difficulty 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 can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability. While it can affect anyone deeply, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Femme Osage, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to helping you regain the pleasure of participating in the activities 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 frustrated, ashamed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is far from a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans tailored for you by your Femme Osage, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a comfortable life.

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 Femme Osage, 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 offer 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 painful spots, physical therapy can aid in lessening or eradicating the discomfort you feel resulting from 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 labor, decreasing the likelihood of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on particular muscles and tackling any underlying issues, therapy can enhance sexual arousal, climax, and overall sexual health.
• 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 methods you can try at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and empowers you to sustain a lifestyle that supports pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Femme Osage, MO who can support you in boosting your pelvic well-being and performance. Although some instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate surgical intervention, most individuals in Femme Osage, MO will find long-lasting and substantial improvement through minimally invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Femme Osage, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Femme Osage, MO will include an evaluation of your existing pelvic floor health. The subsequent sessions will emphasize implementing your customized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. In this appointment, your Femme Osage, MO physical therapist will dedicate 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 current condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Femme Osage, MO may also include an internal examination to further determine the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used as an alternative to an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will aid in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the development 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 Femme Osage, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will incorporate specific goals, exercises, and projected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to release and engage the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to release tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle movements into daily activities

The exercises your Femme Osage, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will differ based on your particular situation, but will all be aimed at retraining your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your existing health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start with you lying flat on your back and gradually advance 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 decompression (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 makes use of 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 instant feedback on how they engage and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and release the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle alignment and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Changes to your diet
• Fluid management
• Proper posture and safe lifting methods
• Tactics for managing constipation
• Additional recommendations for a more wholesome daily life and lifestyle

Enhancing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments fosters enhanced 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 Femme Osage, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in delivering customized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Femme Osage, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting beneficial patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a challenging and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest respect, compassion, and tailored attention.

We also embrace the belief in delivering evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We utilize 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 exploring pelvic floor therapy in Femme Osage, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Femme Osage, MO area, all devoted to realizing your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Femme Osage, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in Femme Osage, MO have a sole mission: returning you to the activities you love the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it difficult to manage your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your ambitions. Schedule an appointment through our website or contact the nearest location to you to start your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Femme Osage, MO today.