Pelvic floor therapy in Marthasville, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical pain; it can impact your self-perception and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the field, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Marthasville, MO can help you achieve:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and swelling
• Enhanced sexual performance and pleasure
• Increased confidence and well-being

Axes Physical Therapy in Marthasville, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they enjoy most securely and effectively. If you are interested 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 restore command and assurance in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that form a supportive net-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 protects organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping control several vital functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by giving you control over the contraction and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from descending
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports healthy sexual function
• Provides sturdiness and alignment 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 healthy 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 channels or passages for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).

Picture the pelvic floor as a woven mesh of muscles and tissues that forms a sturdy foundation, holding the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. It works like a supportive sling to maintain 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 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 keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have essential 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 satisfaction by providing support to the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is diminished or becomes too tense, it leads to pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when you experience difficulty relaxing and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Challenges urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Regularly feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to force out waste
• Pelvic discomfort
• 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, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Marthasville, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to helping you regain the joy of participating in the things 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 disappointed, embarrassed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is far from a life sentence. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Marthasville, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and experience a comfortable life.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Marthasville, 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 offer better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination promotes vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting weaker or stiffer muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can aid in diminishing or getting rid of 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 labor, decreasing the risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on specific muscles and tackling any hidden issues, therapy can enhance sexual excitement, climax, and overall sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Your personalized pelvic floor therapy plan won’t just include supervised exercises. By offering information and teaching you techniques you can utilize independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and empowers you to sustain a routine that promotes pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Marthasville, MO who can assist you in boosting your pelvic well-being and performance. Although some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction might require surgical intervention, most patients in Marthasville, MO will find lasting and significant improvement through less invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Marthasville, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Marthasville, MO will involve an evaluation of your existing pelvic floor condition. The subsequent sessions will center around implementing your personalized treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Marthasville, MO physical therapist will spend time to get to know you and your symptoms. 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 consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Marthasville, MO may additionally involve an internal examination to further evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will help in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the formulation of an effective treatment plan to help you in getting back 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 Marthasville, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will include defined goals, techniques, and anticipated results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to relax and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Flexibility exercises to release tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle patterns into everyday activities

The exercises your Marthasville, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your specific situation, 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 commence with you reclining on your back and progress to seated 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 massaging specific areas of your pelvis. It may include trigger point therapy (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve release (freeing up compressed nerves), joint mobilizing techniques (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 measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to manage and align your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they engage 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 cross off – it also offers you entry to expert, science-backed insights that enhance your daily life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Adjustments to your diet
• Liquid regulation
• Proper posture and safe lifting methods
• Approaches for dealing with constipation
• Any other advice for a healthier everyday life and way of living

Augmenting the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations encourages enhanced 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 more alternatives.

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in delivering personalized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Marthasville, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and strives to obtain favorable patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a sensitive and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, empathy, and customized attention.

We also hold the belief in providing evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and state-of-the-art technology to guide our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we present 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 Marthasville, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Marthasville, MO area, all devoted to realizing your best pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in Marthasville, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the activities you love the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your participation in your favorite sport or making it demanding to get through 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 nearest location to you to start your journey with Axes Physical Therapy in Marthasville, MO today.