Pelvic floor therapy in Marlborough, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can affect your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the field, starting a family, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Marlborough, MO can help you with:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and inflammation
• Enhanced sexual performance and pleasure
• Increased confidence and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in Marlborough, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they enjoy most securely and successfully. If you are curious in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or wish to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or reach out to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you reclaim 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 base for the organs in the pelvic area, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor safeguards organs and your spine from external pressure while helping manage several everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by providing you command over the squeezing and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and prevents 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, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymph circulation, contributing to preserve 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 connecting to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have openings or passages for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).

Imagine 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 preserve the position and function of pelvic organs.

The main 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 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 supports 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 important roles. They aid in controlling the release of urine and stool by tightening 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 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 optimal 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 need to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to force out urine or feces
• Pelvic pain
• 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 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 Marlborough, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you recover the joy of engaging in the activities you hold dear 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 despairing. But a diagnosis is far from a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans tailored for you by your Marlborough, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and experience a pain-free existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The positive outcomes of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Marlborough, 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 facilitates vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less strong or stiffer muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can assist in lessening or eradicating the pain you experience 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 assist in preparing the pelvic floor for labor, decreasing the likelihood of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on particular muscles and addressing any subsurface issues, therapy can enhance sexual excitement, orgasm, and overall sexual fulfillment.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By offering education and guiding you in tips you can practice at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and empowers you to maintain a lifestyle that promotes pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Marlborough, MO who can assist you in boosting your pelvic health and function. While some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may require operative treatment, most individuals in Marlborough, MO will likely find lasting and substantial improvement through less invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Marlborough, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Marlborough, MO will include an examination of your existing pelvic floor health. The following sessions will emphasize implementing your customized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. During this phase, your Marlborough, MO physical therapist will take the time to get to know you and your issues. 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 approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Marlborough, MO may additionally involve an internal examination to better evaluate the muscle 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 enable the creation of an effective treatment plan to assist 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 Marlborough, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will incorporate defined goals, exercises, and projected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to loosen and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to loosen tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle movements into everyday tasks

The exercises your Marlborough, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your particular needs, 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 initially start with you reclining on your back and progress 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 myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve mobilization (freeing up compressed nerves), joint mobilizing techniques (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 employs a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to manage and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you live feedback on how they tighten and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and release the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle coordination and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a list of exercises to cross off – it also offers you access to professional, research-supported insights that boost your daily life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:

• Alterations to your nutrition
• Fluid regulation
• Correct body alignment and lifting techniques
• Approaches for managing constipation
• Further recommendations for a healthier day-to-day life and way of living

Enhancing the exercises and techniques used in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments fosters improved 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 Marlborough, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in providing customized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Marlborough, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and aims to achieve beneficial patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a challenging and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, and customized attention.

We also embrace the belief in offering evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and advanced technology to shape 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 Marlborough, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Marlborough, MO area, all devoted to attaining your ideal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from being the best version of yourself. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Marlborough, MO have a unified mission: getting you back to the activities you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it demanding to navigate your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your goals. Schedule an appointment through our website or get in touch with the most convenient location to you to embark on your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Marlborough, MO today.