Pelvic floor therapy in Spanish Lake, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can impact your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the grass, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Spanish Lake, MO can help you achieve:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Spanish Lake, MO specializes in creating personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they love most securely and effectively. If you are curious in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or want 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 assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a complex of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that create 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 protects 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 manage your bladder and bowels by giving you command 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 posture 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, contributing to maintain healthy tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles extend 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 passageways or canals 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 creates a strong foundation, 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 chief 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 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 works to keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have essential roles. They assist 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 compromised or becomes too tense, it results in pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a condition where 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 incomplete
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Frequently feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to push out waste
• Pelvic discomfort
• Pain during sex
• Erectile dysfunction and trouble 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 can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability. While it can affect anyone deeply, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Spanish Lake, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to assisting you recover the joy of engaging in the pursuits 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 frustrated, embarrassed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is far from a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Spanish Lake, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a pain-free 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 Spanish Lake, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help improving bladder and bowel control, alleviate 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 weaker or more rigid muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can aid in lessening or getting rid of the pain you feel due to 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 delivery, decreasing the risk of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and promoting recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on specific muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, orgasm, and general sexual fulfillment.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By providing information and guiding you in approaches you can utilize autonomously, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and empowers you to sustain a lifestyle that supports pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Spanish Lake, MO who can support you in boosting your pelvic health and performance. Although some instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate surgical intervention, the majority of patients in Spanish Lake, MO will likely find long-lasting and significant improvement through non-invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Spanish Lake, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Spanish Lake, MO will involve an assessment of your existing pelvic floor condition. The following sessions will emphasize implementing your tailored treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Spanish Lake, MO physical therapist will spend time to understand 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 current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Spanish Lake, MO may additionally include an internal examination to further evaluate the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed instead of an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will assist in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the formulation of an suitable treatment plan to assist you in resuming the activities you love.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Spanish Lake, MO will design a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will include defined goals, exercises, and projected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to loosen and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Flexibility exercises to release tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle movements into routine tasks

The exercises your Spanish Lake, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary based on your particular situation, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start with you reclining on your back and gradually advance to seated 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 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 employs a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to regulate and align your pelvic floor muscles by giving you live feedback on how they contract and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and release the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle coordination and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to complete – it also offers you access to expert, evidence-based insights that enhance your daily life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:

• Changes to your diet
• Fluid regulation
• Proper posture and safe lifting methods
• Tactics for dealing with constipation
• Further tips for a better day-to-day life and way of living

Augmenting the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments fosters improved pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in offering customized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Spanish Lake, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and aims to attain positive patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a challenging and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest respect, compassion, and personalized attention.

We also embrace the belief in offering evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and advanced technology to shape our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we offer 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 interested in trying pelvic floor therapy in Spanish Lake, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Spanish Lake, MO area, all dedicated to achieving your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Spanish Lake, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to impede you from leading your most life. At Axes, our devoted physical and occupational therapists in Spanish Lake, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the things you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it difficult to get through your day, we will tailor our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your ambitions. Request an appointment through our website or reach out to the closest location to you to commence your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Spanish Lake, MO today.