Pelvic floor therapy in Josephville, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical discomfort; it can impact your self-esteem and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from getting back to a beloved activity, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Josephville, MO can lead to:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Josephville, MO specializes in creating personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most safely and effectively. If you are curious in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or want to schedule an appointment with one of our experts, please contact us online today or get in touch to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore command and confidence in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that constitute a supportive hammock-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 control several everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by giving you authority over the contraction and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from descending
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports optimal sexual function
• Provides support and posture to the core and back
• During pregnancy, stretches to accommodate a growing fetus and supports vaginal delivery in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymphatic circulation, contributing to preserve healthy tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

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

Think of the pelvic floor as a woven mesh of muscles and tissues that constructs a strong foundation, holding 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 abdomen (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and helps to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have important roles. They aid in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and contribute in sexual function and satisfaction 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 have difficulty unwinding and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Trouble 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 push out waste
• Pelvic discomfort
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Erectile dysfunction and trouble reaching orgasm
• 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, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Josephville, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to helping you regain the pleasure of participating 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 disappointed, embarrassed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Josephville, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a pain-free existence.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can aid in improving bladder and bowel control, alleviate symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and provide better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination supports essential functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting weaker or stiffer muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can assist in reducing or eliminating the pain you endure due to pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised during pregnancy and following childbirth. It can assist in readying the pelvic floor for childbirth, reducing the chance of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and promoting healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on particular muscles and addressing any subsurface issues, therapy can improve sexual arousal, climax, and overall sexual fulfillment.
• Education and self-management — Your customized pelvic floor therapy plan won’t solely comprise guided exercises. By providing education and guiding you in methods you can practice at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and enables you to maintain a routine that fosters pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Josephville, MO who can assist you in improving your pelvic well-being and function. While some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate operative intervention, most patients in Josephville, MO will likely find sustained and significant progress through minimally invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Josephville, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Josephville, MO will comprise an evaluation of your current pelvic floor condition. The subsequent sessions will center around implementing your customized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Josephville, MO physical therapist will take the 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 evaluate your present condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Josephville, MO may also include an internal examination to more assess the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will help in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the creation of an suitable treatment plan to assist you in resuming the activities you cherish.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Josephville, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will include precise goals, techniques, and anticipated outcomes 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 Josephville, MO are:

• Kegel exercises to loosen and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to release tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to strengthen weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle actions into everyday activities

The exercises your Josephville, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will differ based on your unique needs, but will all be aimed at reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start with you reclining 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 manipulating specific areas of your pelvis. It may include myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve decompression (freeing up compressed nerves), joint mobilization (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 makes use of a device to gauge 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 tighten and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle alignment and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to mark off – it also provides you with entry to professional, evidence-based insights that improve your day-to-day life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:

• Adjustments to your eating habits
• Fluid regulation
• Correct body alignment and lifting techniques
• Approaches for managing constipation
• Further advice for a healthier day-to-day life and lifestyle

Augmenting the exercises and techniques used in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments promotes 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 other alternatives.

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in providing customized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Josephville, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and endeavors to attain positive patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a sensitive and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest 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 cutting-edge technology to guide our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we present a range of other physical therapy services that can supplement 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 Josephville, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Josephville, MO area, all committed to realizing your optimal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from leading your fullest life. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in Josephville, MO have a singular mission: returning you to the things you love the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it challenging to navigate your day, we will tailor our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your ambitions. Request an appointment online or reach out to the closest location to you to start your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Josephville, MO today.