Pelvic floor therapy in Leadington, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical pain; it can impact your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the grass, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Leadington, MO can lead to:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Leadington, MO specializes in developing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most safely and successfully. If you are curious in finding out more about pelvic floor therapy or desire to book an appointment with one of our experts, 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.

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 foundation for the organs in the pelvic area, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor protects organs and your spine from outside 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 authority over the squeezing and release 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 lymphatic 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 joining 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 mesh of muscles and tissues that constructs a sturdy 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 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 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 maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have important roles. They assist 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 weakened 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 relaxing 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
• Sensation of needing to strain urine or feces
• Pelvic discomfort
• Pain during sex
• Erectile dysfunction and trouble 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 Leadington, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to assisting you regain the pleasure of participating 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 disappointed, ashamed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is far from a life sentence. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Leadington, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a pain-free life.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can assist in 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 supports essential 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 support in diminishing 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 labor, decreasing the likelihood of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and promoting recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on particular muscles and dealing with any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, climax, and general sexual health.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By providing information and teaching you techniques you can practice at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to sustain a routine that supports pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Leadington, MO who can support you in improving your pelvic well-being and performance. While certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate surgical correction, most individuals in Leadington, MO will likely find long-lasting and substantial improvement through non-invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Leadington, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Leadington, MO will involve an examination of your current pelvic floor health. The remaining sessions will center around implementing your customized treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Leadington, MO physical therapist will take the 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 Leadington, MO may additionally involve an internal examination to further determine the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will help in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the development of an suitable treatment plan to assist you in getting back to the activities you love.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Leadington, MO will design a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will incorporate precise goals, exercises, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to release and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to release tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle patterns into everyday activities

The exercises your Leadington, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your particular needs, 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 lying flat on your back and evolve to sitting and standing 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 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 utilizes a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to control and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they tighten and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle integration and mastery.

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 boost your everyday life. Your physical therapist may suggest you with:

• Alterations to your diet
• Fluid control
• Correct body alignment and lifting techniques
• Strategies for managing constipation
• Any other recommendations for a better day-to-day life and lifestyle

Enhancing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments fosters enhanced pelvic floor function and general well-being.

Other methods in pelvic floor therapy may include therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, weighted cones, medications, and additional alternatives.

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in offering customized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Leadington, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and endeavors to obtain favorable patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a challenging and demanding issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, compassion, and customized attention.

We also hold the belief in delivering evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and advanced technology to inform our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we offer 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 Leadington, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Leadington, MO area, all devoted to achieving your ideal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to keep you from living your best life. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in Leadington, MO have a sole mission: getting you back to the things you cherish 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 exclusively to you and your aspirations. Schedule an appointment through our website or get in touch with the nearest location to you to start your journey with Axes Physical Therapy in Leadington, MO today.