Pelvic floor therapy in Kirkwood, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can impact your self-esteem and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from returning to a beloved activity, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to feel like your best you again. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Kirkwood, MO can help you with:

• 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 Kirkwood, MO specializes in developing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they love most safely and effectively. If you are interested in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or wish to book 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 reclaim control and confidence in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that create a supportive web-like structure at the base 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 external pressure while helping control several everyday functions.

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

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by providing you authority over the contraction and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from descending
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports well-functioning sexual function
• Provides sturdiness 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 lymphatic circulation, helping to preserve vibrant tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles extend 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 channels or passages 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 sturdy foundation, 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 feces (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 works to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have essential roles. They help in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the right times and contribute in sexual function and pleasure by supporting the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is compromised 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 unwinding and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Difficulty urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Often feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to strain urine or feces
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sex
• 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 affect anyone deeply, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Kirkwood, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you regain the pleasure of participating in the activities you cherish 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 life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Kirkwood, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a comfortable existence.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help improving bladder and bowel control, reduce 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 the ability to relax and contract the muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less strong or less flexible muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can assist in lessening or eradicating the discomfort you feel 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 readying the pelvic floor for childbirth, minimizing the likelihood of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on specific muscles and dealing with any underlying issues, therapy can enhance sexual arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan will not just consist of guided exercises. By providing information and instructing you in tips 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 Kirkwood, MO who can help you in enhancing your pelvic health and performance. While certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate operative treatment, the majority of patients in Kirkwood, MO will likely find lasting and significant improvement through minimally invasive physical therapy methods.

What Kirkwood, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Kirkwood, MO will include an evaluation of your current pelvic floor health. The following sessions will focus on implementing your tailored treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. In this appointment, your Kirkwood, MO physical therapist will spend time to understand you and your issues. They will ask 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 present condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Kirkwood, MO may additionally involve an internal examination to further evaluate the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will aid in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the creation of an optimal treatment plan to help you in returning 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 Kirkwood, MO will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will incorporate precise goals, techniques, and expected 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 Kirkwood, MO include:

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

The exercises your Kirkwood, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary based on your particular situation, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may commence with you reclining on your back and gradually advance 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 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 mobilization (lifting and rolling the skin to reduce adhesions).

Biofeedback Training

Biofeedback training makes use of a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to control 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 relax the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle integration and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a list of exercises to mark off – it also gives you entrée to professional, science-backed insights that enhance your daily life. Your physical therapist may suggest you with:

• Adjustments to your eating habits
• Liquid control
• Correct posture and safe lifting methods
• Tactics for addressing constipation
• Further advice for a more wholesome everyday life and lifestyle

Complementing the exercises and techniques used in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications fosters enhanced pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in delivering customized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Kirkwood, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting positive patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a sensitive and demanding issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest respect, compassion, and customized attention.

We also hold the belief in delivering evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and cutting-edge 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 exploring pelvic floor therapy in Kirkwood, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Kirkwood, MO area, all dedicated to attaining your ideal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to impede you from being the best version of yourself. At Axes, our devoted physio and occupational therapists in Kirkwood, MO have a sole mission: getting you back to the things you love the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it difficult to manage your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your goals. Request an appointment through our website or contact the most convenient location to you to commence your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Kirkwood, MO today.