Pelvic floor therapy in Hawk Point, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can impact your self-perception and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from getting back to a favorite sport, beginning parenthood, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to feel like your best you again. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Hawk Point, MO can help you achieve:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and inflammation
• Enhanced sexual function and pleasure
• Increased self-assurance and well-being

Axes Physical Therapy in Hawk Point, MO specializes in creating customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they enjoy most safely and successfully. If you are interested in finding out more about pelvic floor therapy or want to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or reach out to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore 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 web-like structure at the bottom 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 protects organs and your spine from external pressure while helping control several important functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by providing you control over the contraction and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from descending
• 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 lymph circulation, helping to preserve vibrant tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles span from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone at the front, while also linking 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).

Think of the pelvic floor as a woven web of muscles and tissues that forms a resilient base, holding the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from sagging. It works like a supportive sling to maintain 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 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 sustains the organs inside your abdomen (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and works to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have crucial roles. They help in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and contribute 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 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 aligning your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Difficulty urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are incomplete
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Often feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to strain waste
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sex
• Erectile dysfunction and trouble 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 doesn’t just affect people of a single certain 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 Hawk Point, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to helping you recover the joy of engaging 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 not the same thing as a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans tailored for you by your Hawk Point, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and enjoy a comfortable existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Hawk Point, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help improving bladder and bowel control, reduce symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and provide better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination promotes vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting weaker or less flexible muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can assist in diminishing or eradicating the discomfort you feel due to 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 aid in readying the pelvic floor for labor, minimizing the likelihood of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on specific muscles and tackling any subsurface issues, therapy can improve sexual excitement, climax, and general sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By providing education and instructing you in approaches you can try independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and enables you to sustain a way of life that promotes pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Hawk Point, MO who can help you in enhancing your pelvic well-being and performance. While certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction might require operative treatment, most individuals in Hawk Point, MO will experience long-lasting and substantial progress through minimally invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Hawk Point, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Hawk Point, MO will comprise an assessment of your existing pelvic floor health. The subsequent sessions will focus on implementing your tailored treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Hawk Point, MO physical therapist will dedicate time to understand you and your symptoms. 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 current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Hawk Point, MO may also include an internal examination to further assess the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized instead of 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 enable the formulation of an optimal treatment plan to assist you in returning 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 Hawk Point, MO will create a personalized treatment plan specific 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 balance is crucial for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Hawk Point, MO include:

• Kegel exercises to release and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to sync your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Flexibility exercises to loosen tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle patterns into daily tasks

The exercises your Hawk Point, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will differ based on your specific situation, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may begin with you lying flat 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 massaging specific areas of your pelvis. It may include myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve release (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 employs a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to manage and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you live feedback on how they engage and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle alignment and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Changes to your eating habits
• Fluid management
• Proper body alignment and lifting techniques
• Strategies for dealing with constipation
• Any other advice for a better everyday life and lifestyle

Augmenting the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations fosters improved pelvic floor function and general well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in offering personalized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Hawk Point, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting beneficial patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a challenging and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, empathy, and customized attention.

We also hold 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 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 Hawk Point, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Hawk Point, MO area, all dedicated to realizing your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Hawk Point, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Hawk Point, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the activities you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it challenging to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your aspirations. Request an appointment online or contact the most convenient location to you to embark on your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Hawk Point, MO today.