Pelvic floor therapy in Jefferson Barracks, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can affect your self-perception and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from returning to a favorite sport, starting a family, or just getting through 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO can lead to:
- Improved bladder and bowel control
- Reduced discomfort and inflammation
- Enhanced sexual function and pleasure
- Increased self-assurance and well-being
Axes Physical Therapy in Jefferson Barracks, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they enjoy most securely and effectively. If you are curious in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or want to book an appointment with one of our specialists, please contact us online today or reach out to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you regain command and confidence in your pelvic health.
Understanding the Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor is a complex of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that create a supportive net-like structure at the bottom 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 protects organs and your spine from external pressure while helping manage several everyday 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 avoids them from descending
- Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
- Supports optimal sexual function
- Provides stability and alignment to the core and back
- During pregnancy, stretches to accommodate a growing fetus and supports vaginal delivery in childbirth
- Assists in blood and lymph circulation, contributing to sustain 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 joining 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 network of muscles and tissues that creates a resilient base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. 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 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 works to maintain 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 contribute in sexual function and satisfaction by providing support to the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is weakened 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 unwinding and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.
Signs and Symptoms
- Challenges 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
- Sensation of needing to push out waste
- 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 affect anyone deeply, 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 assisting you recover the pleasure 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 despairing. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Jefferson Barracks, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a comfortable life.
Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Jefferson Barracks, MO include:
- Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can assist in 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 the ability to relax and contract the muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
- Pain management — By targeting weaker or more rigid muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can assist in lessening or getting rid of the pain 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, minimizing the chance of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and promoting recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to pregnancy and labor.
- Sexual health improvement — By focusing on specific muscles and dealing with any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, climax, and general sexual gratification.
- Education and self-management — Your personalized pelvic floor therapy plan will not just comprise guided exercises. By offering information and teaching you methods you can practice on your own, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and empowers you to maintain a way of life that promotes pelvic floor wellness.
At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Jefferson Barracks, MO who can assist you in enhancing your pelvic well-being and function. Although some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate operative intervention, the majority of patients in Jefferson Barracks, MO will experience lasting and significant progress through less invasive physical therapy techniques.
What Jefferson Barracks, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves
Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Jefferson Barracks, MO will include an examination of your current pelvic floor health. The subsequent sessions will center around implementing your personalized treatment plan.
Assessment and Evaluation
The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. During this phase, your Jefferson Barracks, MO physical therapist will spend time to get to know you and your symptoms. 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO may also include an internal examination to better assess the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed instead of an internal examination.
The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will help in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the creation of an suitable treatment plan to help you in resuming the activities you enjoy.
Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises
Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Jefferson Barracks, MO will design a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will incorporate specific goals, exercises, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.
Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy
Improving 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 are:
- Kegel exercises to relax and engage the pelvic floor muscles
- Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor motion
- Stretching exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
- Resistance exercises to develop weak muscles
- Functional training to incorporate new muscle actions into routine tasks
The exercises your Jefferson Barracks, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your particular needs, but will all be aimed at retraining 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 flat on your back and gradually advance 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 decompression (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 understand how to manage and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they tighten and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and release the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle coordination and command.
Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications
Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to complete – it also provides you with access to expert, evidence-based insights that enhance your daily life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:
- Changes to your eating habits
- Fluid management
- Proper posture and lifting techniques
- Approaches for addressing constipation
- Any other tips for a more wholesome everyday life and way of living
Enhancing the exercises and techniques used in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations encourages enhanced pelvic floor function and overall well-being.
Other pelvic floor therapy techniques may incorporate 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 wholeheartedly believe in offering customized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Jefferson Barracks, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and strives to attain favorable patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a challenging and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, and tailored attention.
We also subscribe to the belief in providing evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and state-of-the-art 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Jefferson Barracks, MO area, all committed to realizing 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 leading your most life. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in Jefferson Barracks, MO have a sole mission: getting you back to the things you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your playing in your favorite sport or making it challenging to get through your day, we will personalize 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 recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Jefferson Barracks, MO today.
