Pelvic floor therapy in Old Jamestown, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can affect your self-esteem and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the grass, beginning parenthood, or just getting through a day with the same assurance 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 Old Jamestown, MO can help you achieve:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Old Jamestown, MO specializes in developing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in finding out more about pelvic floor therapy or desire to schedule 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 constitute a supportive net-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a foundation for the organs in the pelvic region, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor safeguards organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping manage several basic functions.

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

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by providing you command over the squeezing 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 support 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 sustain 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 linking to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have openings or canals 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 network of muscles and tissues that creates a resilient base, holding the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. It works like a supportive 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 poo (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 keep your pelvis stable.

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

Signs and Symptoms

• Trouble urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Regularly feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to strain waste
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Erectile dysfunction and difficulty 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 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 Old Jamestown, 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 not the same thing as a life sentence. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Old Jamestown, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a comfortable life.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Old Jamestown, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can assist 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 less strong or more rigid muscles and addressing trigger points, physical therapy can assist in diminishing or eliminating the discomfort you feel resulting from 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 connected to childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on particular muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can enhance sexual excitement, orgasm, and overall sexual gratification.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By providing education and teaching you techniques you can utilize at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and empowers you to sustain a routine that fosters pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Old Jamestown, MO who can assist you in enhancing your pelvic well-being and function. While certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may require operative intervention, the majority of patients in Old Jamestown, MO will experience lasting and substantial progress through non-invasive physical therapy methods.

What Old Jamestown, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Old Jamestown, MO will involve an examination of your current pelvic floor condition. The remaining sessions will center around implementing your customized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

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

The assessment and evaluation conducted 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 enjoy.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Old Jamestown, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will incorporate defined goals, exercises, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving muscle strength and coordination is vital for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Old Jamestown, 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 loosen tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle patterns into routine tasks

The exercises your Old Jamestown, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary based on your particular needs, but will all be aimed at reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start with you lying flat 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 mobilization (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 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 engage and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and release the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle alignment and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to mark off – it also offers you entry to expert, science-backed insights that enhance your everyday life. Your physical therapist may suggest you with:

• Adjustments to your nutrition
• Liquid control
• Proper body alignment and lifting techniques
• Strategies for addressing constipation
• Further recommendations for a better everyday life and lifestyle

Complementing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations fosters better pelvic floor function and general well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in delivering individualized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Old Jamestown, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and endeavors to achieve positive patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a sensitive and difficult condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, compassion, and tailored attention.

We also embrace the belief in providing evidence-based and comprehensive 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 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 Old Jamestown, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Old Jamestown, MO area, all devoted to realizing your optimal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Old Jamestown, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to impede you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our devoted physio and occupational therapists in Old Jamestown, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the things you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it difficult to manage your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your aspirations. Schedule an appointment through our website or get in touch with the closest location to you to commence your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Old Jamestown, MO today.