Pelvic floor therapy in Sunset Hills, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can affect your self-perception and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the grass, beginning parenthood, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Sunset Hills, MO can help you with:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Sunset Hills, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they enjoy most securely and successfully. If you are interested in discovering about pelvic floor therapy or wish to book an appointment with one of our experts, please contact us online today or reach out to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you regain control and confidence in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints 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 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 important functions.

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

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by giving you command over the contraction and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and avoids them from prolapsing
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports well-functioning sexual function
• Provides support and alignment to the core and back
• During pregnancy, stretches to accommodate a growing fetus and assists 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 connecting to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have openings 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 mesh of muscles and tissues that constructs a strong foundation, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from dropping down. It works like a supportive sling to maintain the position and function of pelvic organs.

The primary 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 maintains 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 crucial roles. They help in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the right times and play a part 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 leads to pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when 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 not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Regularly feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to force out urine or feces
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sex
• Erectile dysfunction and difficulty 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 Sunset Hills, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to helping you regain the pleasure of participating in the things 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 disappointed, ashamed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is far from a life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Sunset Hills, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and experience a pain-free existence.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can aid in 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 less flexible muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can aid in reducing or getting rid of the pain 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 aid in preparing the pelvic floor for delivery, decreasing the chance of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and addressing any hidden issues, therapy can improve sexual arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual gratification.
• Education and self-management — Your personalized pelvic floor therapy plan will not exclusively consist of monitored exercises. By providing education and teaching you approaches you can try autonomously, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and empowers you to maintain a routine that supports pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Sunset Hills, MO who can support you in improving your pelvic well-being and performance. Although certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate operative intervention, the majority of individuals in Sunset Hills, MO will experience sustained and significant progress through non-invasive physical therapy methods.

What Sunset Hills, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Sunset Hills, MO will involve an assessment of your current pelvic floor condition. The following sessions will center around implementing your personalized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Sunset Hills, 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 conduct a physical examination and musculoskeletal assessment of your trunk and pelvis to evaluate your current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Sunset Hills, MO may additionally include an internal examination to more evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used as an alternative to an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will assist in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the creation of an suitable treatment plan to assist you in resuming the activities you enjoy.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Sunset Hills, MO will design a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will incorporate 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 Sunset Hills, MO are:

• Kegel exercises to loosen and tighten 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 incorporate new muscle patterns into daily tasks

The exercises your Sunset Hills, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your unique situation, 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 commence with you lying flat on your back and evolve to sitting 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 rolling (lifting and rolling the skin to reduce adhesions).

Biofeedback Training

Biofeedback training makes use of a device to gauge 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 real-time feedback on how they contract and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle integration and command.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a list of exercises to cross off – it also offers you entry to professional, evidence-based insights that boost your everyday life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Adjustments to your eating habits
• Fluid regulation
• Correct posture and lifting techniques
• Approaches for addressing constipation
• Further recommendations for a healthier everyday life and lifestyle

Enhancing the exercises and techniques used in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations fosters enhanced pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

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

Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in Sunset Hills, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in offering personalized and empathetic treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Sunset Hills, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting favorable patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a sensitive and difficult condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, compassion, and personalized attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in providing evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and advanced technology to inform 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 Sunset Hills, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Sunset Hills, MO area, all devoted to achieving your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Sunset Hills, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from leading your most life. At Axes, our dedicated physio and occupational therapists in Sunset Hills, MO have a sole mission: returning you to the things you love the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your playing in your favorite sport or making it demanding to manage your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan specifically to you and your ambitions. Request an appointment through our website or get in touch with the closest location to you to embark on your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Sunset Hills, MO today.