Pelvic floor therapy in St. Clair, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can affect your self-perception and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the field, starting a family, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in St. Clair, MO can lead to:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in St. Clair, MO specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most securely and successfully. If you are curious in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or wish to arrange an appointment with one of our specialists, 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.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that create a supportive web-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a base 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 control several vital functions.

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

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by providing you authority over the squeezing and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and prevents them from descending
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports well-functioning sexual function
• Provides sturdiness 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, contributing to preserve 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 openings or passages 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 mesh of muscles and tissues that creates a sturdy base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from sagging. It works like a reinforcing 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 feces (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 lower belly (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and works to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have important roles. They aid in regulating the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the correct times and contribute in sexual function and pleasure by supporting 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 is a condition where you have difficulty relaxing and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Trouble urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are incomplete
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Often feeling the need to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to strain urine or feces
• Pelvic aches
• 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 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 St. Clair, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to assisting you regain the pleasure of participating in the things 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 not the same thing as a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans tailored for you by your St. Clair, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a comfortable existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The advantages of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in St. Clair, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help 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 essential functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less resilient or stiffer muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can support in reducing or eliminating the discomfort you endure 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 readying the pelvic floor for childbirth, reducing the chance of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on specific muscles and tackling any hidden issues, therapy can enhance sexual arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By providing education and teaching you approaches you can utilize independently, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and enables you to sustain a lifestyle that promotes pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in St. Clair, MO who can assist you in boosting your pelvic health and performance. While some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate operative treatment, the majority of individuals in St. Clair, MO will likely experience sustained and substantial progress through non-invasive physical therapy techniques.

What St. Clair, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in St. Clair, MO will involve an evaluation of your existing pelvic floor health. The following sessions will focus on implementing your tailored treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your St. Clair, MO physical therapist will spend time to get to know 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 approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in St. Clair, MO may additionally include an internal examination to further determine the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed instead of an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will help in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the creation of an suitable treatment plan to help you in resuming 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. Clair, MO will develop 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 physical strength and balance is crucial for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in St. Clair, MO include:

• Kegel exercises to loosen and contract the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to sync 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. Clair, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your specific needs, but will all be aimed at reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may commence with you reclining on your back and progress to seated 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 manipulating specific areas of your pelvis. It may include trigger point therapy (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve release (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 employs a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to control and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you live feedback on how they engage and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and relax the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle coordination and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to cross off – it also provides you with access to professional, science-backed insights that enhance your day-to-day life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:

• Alterations to your eating habits
• Fluid management
• Proper posture and lifting techniques
• Strategies for managing constipation
• Additional recommendations for a more wholesome everyday life and way of living

Enhancing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments fosters enhanced 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 St. Clair, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in providing personalized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in St. Clair, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting beneficial patient results. We understand 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 customized attention.

We also embrace the belief in delivering evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We employ up-to-date research and state-of-the-art technology to guide our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we present a range of other physical therapy services that can enhance 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 St. Clair, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the St. Clair, MO area, all devoted to attaining your ideal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from living your fullest life. At Axes, our devoted physio and occupational therapists in St. Clair, MO have a singular mission: returning you to the activities you treasure the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your participation in your favorite sport or making it demanding to navigate your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your aspirations. Request an appointment online or reach out to the nearest location to you to start your path with Axes Physical Therapy in St. Clair, MO today.