Pelvic floor therapy in Granite City, IL. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical discomfort; it can impact your sense of self and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from returning to a beloved activity, starting a family, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to feel like your best you again. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Granite City, IL can lead to:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced pain and inflammation
• Enhanced sexual performance and satisfaction
• Increased confidence and well-being

Axes Physical Therapy in Granite City, IL specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most securely and effectively. If you are interested in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or want to book 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 command and assurance in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that form a supportive hammock-like structure at the base of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a base for the organs in the pelvic region, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor shields 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 command over the squeezing and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and avoids them from prolapsing
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports optimal sexual function
• Provides stability and posture to the core and back
• During pregnancy, stretches to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymphatic circulation, contributing to maintain healthy 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 openings 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 mesh of muscles and tissues that forms a strong foundation, holding the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from dropping down. It works like a reinforcing sling to uphold 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 helps you to hold in your poo (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 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 essential roles. They help in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the correct 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 results in 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 optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Trouble urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are incomplete
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Regularly feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to force out urine or feces
• Pelvic discomfort
• Pain during sex
• 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 have a negative impact on your physical, mental, and emotional health, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Granite City, IL. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you recover the pleasure of participating in the things 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 hopeless. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Granite City, IL physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and experience 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 aid in 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 relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting weaker or more rigid muscles and addressing trigger points, physical therapy can aid in reducing or eliminating the discomfort you experience due to pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised during pregnancy and following childbirth. It can aid in preparing the pelvic floor for delivery, minimizing the likelihood of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, climax, and general sexual gratification.
• Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan will not solely comprise supervised exercises. By offering information and guiding you in tips you can utilize at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and empowers you to maintain a way of life that fosters pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Granite City, IL who can support you in boosting your pelvic health and function. Although certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may require surgical treatment, most individuals in Granite City, IL will likely find long-lasting and meaningful progress through non-invasive physical therapy methods.

What Granite City, IL Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Granite City, IL will include an evaluation of your existing pelvic floor health. The subsequent sessions will emphasize implementing your tailored treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. During this phase, your Granite City, IL physical therapist will dedicate time to familiarize themselves with you and your issues. 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 assess your current condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Granite City, IL may also involve an internal examination to further assess the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used as an substitute to an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will help in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the development of an optimal treatment plan to assist you in getting back to the activities you enjoy.

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 specific to your needs. This plan will include specific goals, exercises, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to relax and engage the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to release tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to strengthen weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle movements into daily tasks

The exercises your Granite City, IL physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will differ based on your particular situation, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start with you lying down on your back and evolve 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 myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve decompression (freeing up compressed nerves), joint mobilization (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 learn how to control and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they contract and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle coordination and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to complete – it also offers you entry to professional, evidence-based insights that improve your everyday life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:

• Adjustments to your diet
• Fluid management
• Correct body alignment and lifting techniques
• Strategies for managing constipation
• Further tips for a healthier daily life and way of living

Enhancing the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications promotes better 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 Granite City, IL

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in providing individualized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Granite City, IL, our practice puts our clients at the center and strives to attain beneficial patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a delicate and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest respect, compassion, and tailored attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in offering evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and cutting-edge technology to inform our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we present 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 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 committed to achieving your best 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 best life. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Granite City, IL have a sole mission: getting you back to the activities you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it difficult to manage your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your goals. Request an appointment through our website or contact the nearest location to you to start your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Granite City, IL today.