Pelvic floor therapy in Jefferson Barracks, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can impact your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the field, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Jefferson Barracks, MO can lead to:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Jefferson Barracks, MO specializes in developing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they enjoy most securely and effectively. If you are interested in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or want to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or contact to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore control and confidence in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that constitute a supportive net-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a foundation for the organs in the pelvic area, 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 control your bladder and bowels by giving you command over the squeezing and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from prolapsing
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports optimal sexual function
• Provides stability and posture to the core and back
• During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymph circulation, contributing to sustain vibrant tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles stretch 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 passageways or passages for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).

Picture the pelvic floor as a woven network of muscles and tissues that constructs a sturdy foundation, supporting the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from dropping down. It works like a reinforcing sling to preserve 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 sustains 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 important roles. They help in controlling the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the right 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 occurs when you experience difficulty relaxing and aligning 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
• Feeling like you need to strain urine or feces
• Pelvic pain
• 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 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to helping you recover the pleasure of engaging in the things 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 far from a permanent condition. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Jefferson Barracks, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a pain-free existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The advantages of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Jefferson Barracks, 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 offer better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination facilitates vitals 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 diminishing or getting rid of the pain you endure 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 preparing the pelvic floor for childbirth, reducing the chance of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on specific muscles and tackling any subsurface issues, therapy can boost sexual arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan won’t just consist of monitored exercises. By offering information and teaching you methods you can try on your own, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and empowers you to sustain a routine that supports pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Jefferson Barracks, MO who can help you in boosting your pelvic well-being and function. Although certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may require surgical intervention, most individuals in Jefferson Barracks, MO will find long-lasting and substantial progress through less invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Jefferson Barracks, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Jefferson Barracks, MO will comprise an evaluation of your existing pelvic floor condition. The following sessions will center around implementing your personalized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. In this appointment, your Jefferson Barracks, MO physical therapist will spend 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 determine your current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Jefferson Barracks, MO may also include an internal examination to further determine the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized as an alternative to an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will assist in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the formulation of an optimal 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will include defined goals, techniques, 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO include:

• Kegel exercises to loosen and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Flexibility exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle movements into daily activities

The exercises your Jefferson Barracks, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary based on your unique situation, but will all be aimed at reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your existing health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may commence with you reclining on your back and evolve to seated 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 manipulating specific areas of your pelvis. It may include myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve mobilization (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 employs 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 real-time feedback on how they engage and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and relax the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle alignment and command.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to cross off – it also offers you entrée to skilled, science-backed insights that boost your everyday life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Changes to your eating habits
• Fluid management
• Correct body alignment and lifting techniques
• Tactics for dealing with constipation
• Additional advice for a more wholesome day-to-day life and lifestyle

Enhancing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations fosters better pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in offering customized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Jefferson Barracks, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and endeavors to obtain positive patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a delicate and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, empathy, and customized attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in offering evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and state-of-the-art technology to guide 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Jefferson Barracks, MO area, all dedicated to achieving your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Jefferson Barracks, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Jefferson Barracks, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the things you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it demanding to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your aspirations. Request an appointment through our website or get in touch with the most convenient location to you to embark on your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Jefferson Barracks, MO today.