Pelvic floor therapy in Hematite, 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 field, starting a family, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Hematite, MO can lead to:
- Improved bladder and bowel control
- Reduced pain and inflammation
- Enhanced sexual function and pleasure
- Increased confidence and quality of life
Axes Physical Therapy in Hematite, MO specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they enjoy most safely and successfully. If you are curious in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or want to book an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or get in touch 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 fibers that constitute a supportive net-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 shields organs and your spine from external pressure while helping control several vital functions.
The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:
- Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by providing you command over the squeezing and release of muscles
- Supports organs in the pelvis and prevents 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 span 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 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 constructs a resilient foundation, supporting the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from descending down. It works like a reinforcing 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 supports the organs inside your lower belly (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and works to keep your pelvis stable.
The pelvic floor muscles have crucial roles. They assist in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the right times and play a part in sexual function and pleasure by supporting 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 occurs when 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 incomplete
- Leakage of urine or feces
- Often feeling the urge to use the bathroom
- Sensation of needing to push out waste
- Pelvic aches
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- 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 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 Hematite, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to assisting you regain the joy of engaging in the pursuits you treasure 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 pragmatic treatment plans tailored for you by your Hematite, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a pain-free life.
Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The advantages of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Hematite, MO include:
- Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help 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 promotes vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
- Pain management — By targeting less strong or stiffer muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can support in reducing or eliminating the pain you feel resulting from 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 readying the pelvic floor for labor, reducing the risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and promoting healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to childbirth.
- Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can improve sexual arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual health.
- Education and self-management — Your personalized pelvic floor therapy plan won’t just include monitored exercises. By offering information and teaching you methods you can utilize autonomously, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to sustain a way of life that fosters pelvic floor wellness.
At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Hematite, MO who can assist you in boosting your pelvic well-being and function. While some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may require operative treatment, the majority of individuals in Hematite, MO will find lasting and meaningful improvement through less invasive physical therapy approaches.
What Hematite, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves
Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Hematite, MO will include an evaluation of your current pelvic floor condition. The following sessions will focus on implementing your customized treatment plan.
Assessment and Evaluation
The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. In this appointment, your Hematite, MO physical therapist will take the time to familiarize themselves with 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 determine your present condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Hematite, MO may also include an internal examination to more evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed rather than an internal examination.
The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will assist in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the development of an suitable treatment plan to help you in returning 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 Hematite, MO will create a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will include defined goals, exercises, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.
Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy
Improving strength and coordination is essential for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Hematite, MO are:
- Kegel exercises to loosen and engage the pelvic floor muscles
- Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor motion
- Flexibility exercises to release tight muscles
- Resistance exercises to build up weak muscles
- Functional training to integrate new muscle actions into everyday tasks
The exercises your Hematite, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your specific situation, 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 initially start with you lying flat 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 working on 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 mobilization (lifting and rolling the skin to reduce adhesions).
Biofeedback Training
Biofeedback training employs a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to regulate 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 engage 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 cross off – it also offers you entrée to professional, evidence-based insights that boost your everyday life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:
- Adjustments to your eating habits
- Fluid regulation
- Proper posture and safe lifting methods
- Approaches for addressing constipation
- Additional recommendations for a healthier everyday life and lifestyle
Enhancing the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations promotes 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 Hematite, MO
At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in providing customized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Hematite, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting positive patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a delicate and demanding 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 holistic 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 complement 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 Hematite, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Hematite, MO area, all devoted to achieving your optimal pelvic health.
Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Hematite, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today
Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from being the best version of yourself. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Hematite, MO have a sole mission: returning you to the things you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your playing in your favorite sport or making it challenging to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your ambitions. Request an appointment online or reach out to the nearest location to you to embark on your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Hematite, MO today.
