Pelvic floor therapy in St. Ann, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can affect your self-esteem and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from returning to a favorite sport, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same assurance and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in St. Ann, MO can lead to:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and swelling
• Enhanced sexual function and satisfaction
• Increased confidence and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in St. Ann, MO specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they love most securely 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 contact to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you reclaim command and confidence in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that create a supportive web-like structure at the base of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a base for the organs in your pelvis, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor shields organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping manage several important functions.

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

• Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by providing you authority over the squeezing and relaxing 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 sturdiness and posture to the core and back
• During pregnancy, stretches to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymph circulation, contributing to maintain vibrant 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 passageways or canals for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).

Think of the pelvic floor as a woven network of muscles and tissues that constructs a sturdy base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from sagging. It works like a supportive sling to uphold 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 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 important roles. They assist in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and contribute in sexual function and satisfaction by providing support to the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is weakened 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 experience difficulty relaxing and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Trouble 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
• Feeling like you need to strain waste
• Pelvic discomfort
• 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 doesn’t just affect people of a single certain 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 St. Ann, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to assisting you regain 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, ashamed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is far from a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans tailored for you by your St. Ann, MO physical therapist, you can regain 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 St. Ann, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can aid 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 essential functioning, such as the ability to relax and contract the muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting weaker or more rigid muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can aid in diminishing or eliminating the discomfort you feel caused by 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 childbirth, decreasing the risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on specific muscles and tackling any underlying issues, therapy can enhance sexual excitement, climax, and general sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By providing information and instructing you in methods you can practice independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to sustain a routine that fosters pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in St. Ann, MO who can help you in enhancing your pelvic health and performance. While certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate surgical intervention, the majority of individuals in St. Ann, MO will likely experience sustained and meaningful improvement through minimally invasive physical therapy techniques.

What St. Ann, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in St. Ann, MO will comprise an examination of your existing pelvic floor health. The subsequent sessions will focus on implementing your personalized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your St. Ann, MO physical therapist will take the time to understand you and your symptoms. They will inquire 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 current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in St. Ann, MO may additionally include an internal examination to better evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed as an alternative to an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will aid in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the formulation of an suitable treatment plan to assist 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 St. Ann, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. This plan will include specific goals, exercises, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving physical strength and balance is essential for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in St. Ann, MO include:

• Kegel exercises to relax and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Flexibility exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle patterns into everyday activities

The exercises your St. Ann, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your unique 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 initially start with you reclining on your back and gradually advance to seated and standing positions.

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy, such as instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, involves your physical therapist using their hands to put pressure on and massage specific areas of your pelvis. It may include myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve decompression (freeing up compressed nerves), joint mobilization (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 measure 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 live 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 control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to complete – it also provides you with entry to professional, evidence-based insights that enhance your everyday life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:

• Adjustments to your eating habits
• Liquid management
• Appropriate posture and safe lifting methods
• Strategies for addressing constipation
• Additional recommendations for a better day-to-day life and lifestyle

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

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

Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in St. Ann, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in delivering personalized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in St. Ann, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting favorable patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a sensitive and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, compassion, and personalized attention.

We also embrace the belief in providing evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and advanced technology to guide our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we offer 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 St. Ann, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the St. Ann, MO area, all devoted to attaining your optimal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your St. Ann, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from living your most life. At Axes, our committed physio and occupational therapists in St. Ann, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the activities you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it challenging to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your ambitions. Schedule an appointment through our website or contact the closest location to you to embark on your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in St. Ann, MO today.