Pelvic floor therapy in Otto, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical pain; it can affect your self-perception and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the grass, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Otto, MO can lead to:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Otto, MO specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or wish to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, please contact us online today or get in touch to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore command and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that constitute 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 control several vital functions.

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

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by giving you authority over the contraction and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and avoids them from descending
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports healthy sexual function
• Provides support and alignment to the core and back
• During pregnancy, stretches to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymph circulation, helping to maintain healthy 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 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 web of muscles and tissues that forms a strong foundation, supporting the pelvic organs in place and preventing 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 stool (puborectalis), one that connects the front and back bones of your pelvis and supports the urethra and rectum (pubococcygeus), and one that connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and supports 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 crucial roles. They help in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the correct times and contribute in sexual function and pleasure by providing support to 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 aligning 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
• Frequently feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to push out waste
• Pelvic aches
• 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 can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability. While it can have a negative impact on your physical, mental, and emotional health, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Otto, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to helping you recover the pleasure of participating in the pursuits you treasure most in life.

How Physical Therapy Can Help With Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

If you are suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction, you may feel frustrated, embarrassed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Otto, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and enjoy 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 Otto, 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 provide 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 weaker or stiffer muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can support in reducing or eradicating the pain you endure caused by 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, decreasing the risk of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and dealing with any subsurface issues, therapy can improve sexual excitement, orgasm, and general sexual gratification.
• Education and self-management — Your customized pelvic floor therapy plan will not just include monitored exercises. By providing education and instructing you in techniques you can try at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and enables you to sustain a way of life that fosters pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Otto, MO who can support you in enhancing your pelvic well-being and function. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might require operative treatment, the majority of individuals in Otto, MO will likely experience long-lasting and substantial improvement through minimally invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Otto, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Otto, MO will involve an assessment of your existing pelvic floor condition. 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 Otto, MO physical therapist will spend time to familiarize themselves with you and your symptoms. They will inquire about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will conduct 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 Otto, MO may also involve an internal examination to more evaluate the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will assist in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the formulation of an suitable treatment plan to help you in returning 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 Otto, MO will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will include defined goals, exercises, and anticipated results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to relax and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Stretching exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to strengthen weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle actions into routine tasks

The exercises your Otto, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary based on your specific 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 initially start with you lying down on your back and evolve 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 working on specific areas of your pelvis. It may include trigger point therapy (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 utilizes a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to manage and align your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they contract and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and release the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle alignment and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Adjustments to your diet
• Fluid regulation
• Correct posture and lifting techniques
• Approaches for addressing constipation
• Any other recommendations for a better day-to-day life and way of living

Enhancing the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications encourages better pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in delivering personalized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Otto, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting favorable patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a delicate and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, compassion, and personalized attention.

We also hold the belief in providing evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and advanced technology to shape 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 Otto, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Otto, MO area, all committed to achieving your ideal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from being the best version of yourself. At Axes, our committed physical and occupational therapists in Otto, MO have a singular mission: getting you back to the activities you love the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it demanding to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your goals. Request an appointment online or get in touch with the nearest location to you to commence your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Otto, MO today.