Pelvic floor therapy in South County, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical discomfort; it can affect your self-perception and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the basketball court, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and ease you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in South County, MO can lead to:
- Improved bladder and bowel control
- Reduced pain and swelling
- Enhanced sexual performance and pleasure
- Increased confidence and well-being
Axes Physical Therapy in South County, MO specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or wish to arrange an appointment with one of our specialists, please contact us online today or contact to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore control and confidence in your pelvic health.
How the Pelvic Floor Works
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and fibers that create a supportive hammock-like structure at the base of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a foundation for the organs in your pelvis, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor shields 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 authority over the squeezing and release of muscles
- Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from prolapsing
- Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
- Supports optimal sexual function
- Provides support and posture to the core and back
- During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
- Assists in blood and lymph circulation, helping 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 passageways 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 strong base, 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 poo (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 abdomen (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 help in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and play a part 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 have difficulty unwinding 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
- Often feeling the urge to use the bathroom
- Feeling like you need to force out waste
- Pelvic discomfort
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- 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 affect anyone deeply, there is hope with professional physical therapy in South County, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting 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 hopeless. But a diagnosis is far from a permanent condition. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your South County, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a comfortable life.
Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in South County, 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 supports vitals functioning, such as the ability to relax and contract the muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
- Pain management — By targeting weaker or stiffer muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can aid in lessening or getting rid of the pain 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 preparing the pelvic floor for childbirth, decreasing the risk of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to pregnancy and labor.
- Sexual health improvement — By focusing on particular muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, climax, and overall sexual gratification.
- Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan will not solely include monitored exercises. By providing information and teaching you methods you can utilize independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to maintain a routine that promotes pelvic floor wellness.
At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in South County, MO who can support you in improving your pelvic well-being and function. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate surgical treatment, the majority of individuals in South County, MO will find sustained and substantial progress through minimally invasive physical therapy approaches.
What South County, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves
Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in South County, MO will involve an assessment of your current pelvic floor condition. The subsequent sessions will emphasize implementing your tailored treatment plan.
Assessment and Evaluation
The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your South County, MO physical therapist will take the time to familiarize themselves with you and your issues. 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 approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in South County, 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 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 South County, MO will design a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will include precise goals, techniques, and projected outcomes to guide your therapy.
Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy
Improving strength and balance is vital for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in South County, MO include:
- Kegel exercises to relax and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
- Diaphragmatic breathing to sync your breath with your pelvic floor movement
- Flexibility exercises to loosen tight muscles
- Strengthening exercises to build up weak muscles
- Functional training to incorporate new muscle movements into routine activities
The exercises your South County, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will differ based on your unique situation, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating 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 gradually advance 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 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 manipulation (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 measure 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 instant feedback on how they contract and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and release the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle integration and control.
Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications
Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to cross off – it also gives you entry to skilled, evidence-based insights that improve your daily life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:
- Adjustments to your eating habits
- Liquid regulation
- Appropriate body alignment and safe lifting methods
- Strategies for dealing with constipation
- Further recommendations for a healthier daily life and lifestyle
Augmenting the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments fosters improved 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 other alternatives.
Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in South County, MO
At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in delivering individualized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in South County, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and aims to attain beneficial patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a delicate and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, empathy, and tailored attention.
We also hold the belief in delivering evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and state-of-the-art technology to inform our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we present a range of other physical therapy services that can complement your pelvic floor therapy, including:
- Orthopedic rehab
- Sports physical therapy
- Neurological physical therapy
- Geriatric physical therapy
- Pre- or post-surgery rehab
If you are exploring pelvic floor therapy in South County, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the South County, MO area, all committed to achieving your optimal pelvic health.
Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your South County, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today
Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our devoted physical and occupational therapists in South County, MO have a sole mission: getting you back to the activities you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your participation in your favorite sport or making it demanding to manage your day, we will tailor our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your ambitions. Request an appointment online or contact the nearest location to you to commence your journey with Axes Physical Therapy in South County, MO today.
