Pelvic floor therapy in Herculaneum, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can impact your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from returning to a beloved sport, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Herculaneum, MO can lead to:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Herculaneum, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or want to arrange 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 control and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a complex of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that create a supportive hammock-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 outside pressure while helping manage several important functions.

The pelvic floor provides a number of vital functions for the body:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by giving you control over the squeezing and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops 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 preserve 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 passageways 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 web of muscles and tissues that creates a sturdy base, holding the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. It works like a reinforcing sling to preserve the position and function of pelvic organs.

The chief 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 feces (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 helps to keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have essential roles. They assist in regulating the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the correct times and play a part in sexual function and satisfaction 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 is a condition where you experience difficulty unwinding and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for optimal 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
• Feeling like you need to strain waste
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• 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 Herculaneum, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you recover the joy of participating 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 frustrated, ashamed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is far from a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Herculaneum, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and enjoy a pain-free existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The positive outcomes of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Herculaneum, MO 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 offer better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination promotes essential 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 aid in lessening or eradicating the discomfort you endure 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 aid in preparing the pelvic floor for delivery, reducing the risk of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on particular muscles and addressing any subsurface issues, therapy can boost sexual arousal, orgasm, and general sexual fulfillment.
• Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan will not solely include monitored exercises. By providing education and guiding you in approaches you can try autonomously, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to maintain a routine that supports pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Herculaneum, MO who can help you in improving your pelvic health and function. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may require surgical treatment, most individuals in Herculaneum, MO will likely experience sustained and meaningful improvement through non-invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Herculaneum, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Herculaneum, MO will involve an examination of your existing pelvic floor condition. The remaining sessions will focus on implementing your tailored treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Herculaneum, MO physical therapist will dedicate time to familiarize themselves with 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 approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Herculaneum, MO may also involve an internal examination to more determine 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 aid in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the creation of an suitable treatment plan to help 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 Herculaneum, MO will create a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will incorporate specific goals, techniques, and expected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving muscle strength and balance is crucial for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Herculaneum, MO include:

• Kegel exercises to release and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Flexibility exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to strengthen weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle movements into everyday activities

The exercises your Herculaneum, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will differ based on your particular 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 progress to sitting 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 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 release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle alignment and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to complete – it also provides you with entrée to skilled, science-backed insights that improve your everyday life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:

• Adjustments to your eating habits
• Fluid regulation
• Correct posture and lifting techniques
• Tactics for managing constipation
• Further tips for a more wholesome day-to-day life and way of living

Augmenting the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications fosters better pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

Other pelvic floor therapy techniques may involve therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, weighted cones, medications, and additional alternatives.

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in delivering customized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Herculaneum, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and aims to attain favorable patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a challenging and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, compassion, and tailored attention.

We also hold the belief in offering evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and advanced technology to shape 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 Herculaneum, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Herculaneum, MO area, all dedicated to achieving your best pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Herculaneum, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from leading your best life. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in Herculaneum, MO have a sole mission: getting you back to the things you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your playing in your favorite sport or making it difficult to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your goals. Request an appointment online or reach out to the nearest location to you to commence your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Herculaneum, MO today.