Pelvic floor therapy in Ferguson, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical pain; it can impact your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the grass, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Ferguson, MO can help you achieve:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced pain and swelling
• Enhanced sexual function and satisfaction
• Increased self-assurance and well-being

Axes Physical Therapy in Ferguson, MO specializes in creating personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they enjoy most securely and effectively. If you are curious in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or wish to book an appointment with one of our experts, please contact us online today or reach out to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore control and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints 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 outside pressure while helping manage several basic functions.

The pelvic floor provides a number of vital functions for the body:

• 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 belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports healthy 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 lymphatic circulation, helping to maintain 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 connecting to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have channels or canals 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 network of muscles and tissues that creates a resilient foundation, supporting the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from sagging. It works like a supportive 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 assists you to hold in your stool (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 important roles. They aid in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the right times and contribute in sexual function and pleasure by providing support to the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is compromised or becomes too tense, it leads to pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when you have difficulty unwinding and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Challenges urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are incomplete
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Often feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to force out urine or feces
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sex
• 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 doesn’t just affect people of a single certain 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 Ferguson, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to helping you regain the pleasure of participating in the activities 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 despairing. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Ferguson, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a comfortable life.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The positive outcomes of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Ferguson, 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 essential 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 trigger points, physical therapy can assist in lessening 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 assist in preparing the pelvic floor for childbirth, minimizing the risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting particular muscles and addressing any hidden issues, therapy can improve sexual arousal, climax, and overall sexual gratification.
• Education and self-management — Your customized pelvic floor therapy plan will not exclusively include monitored exercises. By providing information and instructing you in approaches you can practice autonomously, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and empowers you to sustain a routine that fosters pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Ferguson, MO who can help you in enhancing your pelvic health and function. Although some instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may require surgical correction, most individuals in Ferguson, MO will likely experience long-lasting and substantial improvement through less invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Ferguson, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Ferguson, MO will involve an examination of your current pelvic floor condition. The remaining sessions will center around implementing your customized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Ferguson, MO physical therapist will take the time to familiarize themselves with you and your symptoms. They will inquire about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will perform a physical examination and musculoskeletal assessment of your trunk and pelvis to evaluate your present condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Ferguson, MO may also involve an internal examination to more determine the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized as an alternative to an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will assist in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the creation of an effective treatment plan to help you in getting back 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 Ferguson, MO will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will incorporate defined goals, techniques, 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 Ferguson, MO are:

• Kegel exercises to relax and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Stretching exercises to release tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle movements into daily tasks

The exercises your Ferguson, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary 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 begin with you reclining on your back and evolve to sitting 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 working on specific areas of your pelvis. It may include trigger point therapy (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve mobilization (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 gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to regulate and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you live feedback on how they tighten and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and relax the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle integration and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to complete – it also provides you with access to skilled, evidence-based insights that enhance your daily life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Changes to your diet
• Fluid regulation
• Proper posture and lifting techniques
• Strategies for addressing constipation
• Further tips for a better daily life and way of living

Complementing the exercises and techniques used in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications 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 other alternatives.

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in offering personalized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Ferguson, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and aims to attain beneficial patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a sensitive and difficult condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, and tailored attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in providing evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and advanced technology to inform our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we provide 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 Ferguson, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Ferguson, MO area, all dedicated to attaining your optimal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from leading your most life. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Ferguson, MO have a singular mission: getting you back 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 customize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your aspirations. Schedule an appointment online or get in touch with the closest location to you to embark on your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Ferguson, MO today.