Pelvic floor therapy in Gilmore, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can impact your self-esteem and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from getting back to a beloved sport, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Gilmore, MO can help you with:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced pain and swelling
• Enhanced sexual function and pleasure
• Increased self-assurance and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in Gilmore, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most safely and successfully. If you are curious in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or wish to schedule 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 control 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 web-like structure at the base of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a foundation for the organs in your pelvis, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor safeguards organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping manage several everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by giving you control over the squeezing and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from prolapsing
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports well-functioning sexual function
• Provides sturdiness and posture to the core and back
• During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and supports vaginal delivery in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymphatic circulation, helping to preserve 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 joining to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have passageways 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 strong base, holding 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 primary 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 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 helps to keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have crucial roles. They help in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate 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 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 coordinating 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 strain urine or feces
• Pelvic pain
• 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 can affect anyone, regardless of 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 Gilmore, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to helping you recover the pleasure of engaging in the pursuits 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, embarrassed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Gilmore, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a comfortable life.

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 Gilmore, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can aid in 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 facilitates essential functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less resilient or less flexible muscles and addressing trigger points, physical therapy can assist in diminishing or getting rid of the pain you endure due to pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised during pregnancy and following childbirth. It can aid in readying the pelvic floor for childbirth, reducing the likelihood of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on particular muscles and tackling any hidden issues, therapy can improve sexual arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual fulfillment.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By providing information and instructing you in tips you can utilize independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and empowers you to maintain a lifestyle that promotes pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Gilmore, MO who can help you in enhancing your pelvic well-being and performance. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may require surgical correction, most individuals in Gilmore, MO will experience sustained and meaningful progress through less invasive physical therapy methods.

What Gilmore, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Gilmore, MO will comprise an assessment of your existing pelvic floor health. The following sessions will emphasize implementing your tailored treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Gilmore, MO physical therapist will spend 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 assess your present condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Gilmore, MO may additionally involve an internal examination to further assess the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will aid in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the creation of an optimal treatment plan to help you in resuming the activities you love.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Gilmore, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will include precise goals, exercises, and projected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to loosen and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to sync your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Flexibility exercises to loosen tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle actions into routine tasks

The exercises your Gilmore, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your unique needs, but will all be aimed at retraining your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may begin with you reclining on your back and evolve 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 massaging specific areas of your pelvis. It may include myofascial release (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 makes use of a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to control and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they tighten and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and relax the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle coordination and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to mark off – it also gives you entry to skilled, evidence-based insights that improve your day-to-day life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Adjustments to your diet
• Liquid regulation
• Proper posture and safe lifting methods
• Strategies for addressing constipation
• Additional recommendations for a healthier day-to-day life and way of living

Enhancing the exercises and techniques used in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations encourages enhanced pelvic floor function and general well-being.

Other methods in pelvic floor therapy may include therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, weighted cones, medications, and other alternatives.

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in providing personalized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Gilmore, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and aims to achieve favorable patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a challenging and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest respect, empathy, and personalized attention.

We also hold 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 guide 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 interested in trying pelvic floor therapy in Gilmore, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Gilmore, MO area, all dedicated to realizing your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Gilmore, 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 physical and occupational therapists in Gilmore, MO have a unified mission: getting you back to the things you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your playing in your favorite sport or making it challenging to navigate your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your ambitions. Schedule an appointment through our website or reach out to the nearest location to you to start your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Gilmore, MO today.