Pelvic floor therapy in Granite City, IL. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can affect your self-esteem and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from returning to a favorite activity, starting a family, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Granite City, IL can help you achieve:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and inflammation
• Enhanced sexual function and satisfaction
• Increased self-assurance and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in Granite City, IL specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or want to schedule an appointment with one of our experts, please contact us online today or contact to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you reclaim control and confidence in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that form a supportive net-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 protects organs and your spine from external pressure while helping control several everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by providing you command over the squeezing and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and avoids them from descending
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports optimal sexual function
• Provides sturdiness and posture 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 maintain 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 connecting to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have channels 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 forms a sturdy foundation, supporting the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from descending down. 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 helps 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 sustains the organs inside your lower belly (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and works to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have essential roles. They aid in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the correct 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 diminished or becomes too tense, it leads to pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a condition where you have difficulty relaxing and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Difficulty urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Frequently feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to push out waste
• Pelvic discomfort
• 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 affect anyone deeply, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Granite City, IL. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to assisting you regain the pleasure of participating 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 not the same thing as a life sentence. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Granite City, IL physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and enjoy a pain-free existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The advantages of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Granite City, IL 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 supports essential functioning, such as the ability to relax and contract the 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 aid in reducing or eradicating 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 readying the pelvic floor for labor, decreasing the risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can enhance sexual excitement, orgasm, and overall sexual gratification.
• Education and self-management — Your customized pelvic floor therapy plan will not exclusively consist of guided exercises. By offering education and instructing you in tips you can try at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and empowers you to maintain a routine that fosters pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Granite City, IL who can assist you in improving your pelvic health and performance. Although certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may require surgical intervention, most individuals in Granite City, IL will find sustained and significant improvement through non-invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Granite City, IL Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Granite City, IL will comprise an evaluation of your current pelvic floor condition. The subsequent sessions will center around implementing your customized treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. In this appointment, your Granite City, IL physical therapist will dedicate time to get to know 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 current condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Granite City, IL may also include an internal examination to further evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will aid in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the formulation of an suitable treatment plan to assist you in resuming the activities you cherish.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Granite City, IL will design a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will incorporate specific goals, exercises, and anticipated outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving strength and balance is vital for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Granite City, IL include:

• Kegel exercises to release and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to sync your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Flexibility exercises to release tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to strengthen weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle actions into everyday activities

The exercises your Granite City, IL physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your particular needs, but will all be aimed at reconditioning 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 gradually advance to seated 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 rolling (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 regulate and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they tighten and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and release the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle alignment and command.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Adjustments to your diet
• Fluid regulation
• Proper body alignment and lifting techniques
• Approaches for addressing constipation
• Additional tips for a more wholesome day-to-day life and way of living

Augmenting the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications promotes enhanced pelvic floor function and overall 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 Granite City, IL

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in providing personalized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Granite City, IL, our practice is focused on the client and getting beneficial patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a delicate and demanding issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, 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 cutting-edge technology to shape our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we provide a range of other physical therapy services that can supplement 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 Granite City, IL at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Granite City, IL area, all devoted to achieving your optimal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Granite City, IL Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from leading your fullest life. At Axes, our committed physical and occupational therapists in Granite City, IL have a singular mission: returning you to the things you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it difficult to get through your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your goals. Schedule an appointment through our website or reach out to the closest location to you to start your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Granite City, IL today.