Pelvic floor therapy in St. Genevieve, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical discomfort; it can impact your self-esteem and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from getting back to a beloved activity, starting a family, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you need to feel like your best you again. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in St. Genevieve, MO can lead to:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in St. Genevieve, MO specializes in developing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they enjoy most safely and successfully. If you are curious in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or want to book 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 control and assurance 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 bottom 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 everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:

• Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by giving you control 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 well-functioning sexual function
• Provides support and alignment to the core and back
• During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymphatic circulation, helping to sustain 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 connecting 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).

Picture the pelvic floor as a woven network of muscles and tissues that creates a strong foundation, 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 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 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 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 essential roles. They aid in regulating the release of urine and stool by tightening 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 diminished 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 experience difficulty relaxing and aligning 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
• Often feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to push out urine or feces
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sex
• Erectile dysfunction and difficulty 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. Genevieve, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to assisting you recover the pleasure of participating in the things you love 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 permanent condition. With pragmatic treatment plans tailored for you by your St. Genevieve, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a comfortable life.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can assist in improving bladder and bowel control, reduce symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and provide 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 strong or less flexible muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can assist in reducing or eradicating the pain you experience 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 readying the pelvic floor for labor, decreasing the risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting particular muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, orgasm, and overall sexual fulfillment.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By offering information and guiding you in methods you can try on your own, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and empowers you to sustain a lifestyle that supports pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in St. Genevieve, MO who can assist you in improving your pelvic health and function. While certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate operative correction, most patients in St. Genevieve, MO will find sustained and meaningful progress through less invasive physical therapy techniques.

What St. Genevieve, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in St. Genevieve, MO will include an assessment of your current pelvic floor condition. The following sessions will center around implementing your personalized treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your St. Genevieve, MO physical therapist will dedicate time to familiarize themselves with you and your issues. 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 St. Genevieve, MO may also include an internal examination to further evaluate the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will aid in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the creation of an effective treatment plan to help you in returning to the activities you enjoy.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in St. Genevieve, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will include specific goals, techniques, and anticipated results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to loosen and engage the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to sync your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Flexibility exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle movements into everyday activities

The exercises your St. Genevieve, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your unique needs, but will all be aimed at reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your existing health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may begin 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 trigger point therapy (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve decompression (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 makes use of a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to regulate and harmonize your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they tighten and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and relax the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle alignment and command.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a list of exercises to complete – it also offers you entrée to expert, research-supported insights that boost your daily life. Your physical therapist may suggest you with:

• Adjustments to your eating habits
• Fluid control
• Correct body alignment and lifting techniques
• Strategies for addressing constipation
• Additional tips for a more wholesome day-to-day life and way of living

Enhancing the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations promotes improved pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in offering customized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in St. Genevieve, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting favorable patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a sensitive and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, and personalized attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in delivering evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and advanced technology to guide 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 exploring pelvic floor therapy in St. Genevieve, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the St. Genevieve, MO area, all dedicated to achieving your optimal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to keep you from leading your best life. At Axes, our dedicated physio and occupational therapists in St. Genevieve, MO have a sole mission: returning you to the activities you treasure the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it challenging to navigate your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your goals. Request an appointment online or get in touch with the closest location to you to commence your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in St. Genevieve, MO today.