Pelvic floor therapy in Town and Country, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can affect your self-esteem and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from getting back to a favorite sport, starting a family, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and ease you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy may be what you require to feel like your best you again. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Town and Country, MO can lead to:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and swelling
• Enhanced sexual function and pleasure
• Increased self-assurance and well-being

Axes Physical Therapy in Town and Country, MO specializes in creating customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most securely and effectively. If you are interested in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or want to arrange an appointment with one of our experts, please contact us online today or get in touch to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you reclaim command and confidence in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and fibers that constitute 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 region, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor shields 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 regulate your bladder and bowels by giving you command over the squeezing and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and prevents 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 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 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).

Imagine the pelvic floor as a woven network of muscles and tissues that creates a sturdy base, holding the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. It works like a supportive sling to maintain 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 helps you to hold in your feces (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 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 crucial roles. They aid in regulating the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the right times and play a part in sexual function and satisfaction 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 occurs when you experience 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
• Frequently feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Feeling like you need to force out urine or feces
• Pelvic pain
• 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 doesn’t just affect people of a single certain age, gender or physical ability. While it can have a negative impact on your physical, mental, and emotional health, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Town and Country, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to helping you regain the joy of engaging in the pursuits 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 life sentence. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Town and Country, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a pain-free life.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can assist in 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 facilitates essential functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less strong or stiffer muscles and addressing painful spots, physical therapy can support in reducing or eliminating the discomfort you endure 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 likelihood of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on particular muscles and dealing with any underlying issues, therapy can enhance sexual excitement, climax, and overall sexual gratification.
• Education and self-management — Pelvic floor therapy is about more than just checking exorcises off of a list. By offering education and guiding you in methods you can practice at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and empowers you to sustain a way of life that promotes pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Town and Country, MO who can help you in improving your pelvic well-being and performance. While certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction might require surgical intervention, most patients in Town and Country, MO will find lasting and meaningful progress through less invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Town and Country, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Town and Country, MO will involve an evaluation of your current pelvic floor health. The following sessions will focus on implementing your tailored treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. In this appointment, your Town and Country, MO physical therapist will take the time to understand you and your symptoms. They will ask about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will conduct a physical examination and musculoskeletal assessment of your trunk and pelvis to determine your present condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Town and Country, MO may also include an internal examination to more assess the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will help in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the development of an optimal 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 Town and Country, MO will design a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will incorporate precise goals, exercises, and expected results 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 Town and Country, MO are:

• Kegel exercises to relax and engage the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Flexibility exercises to release tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle actions into routine activities

The exercises your Town and Country, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary based on your particular 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 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 working on 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 rolling (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 learn how to regulate and align your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they engage and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and release the muscles correctly, optimizing your muscle coordination and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to mark off – it also offers you entrée to expert, evidence-based insights that improve your everyday life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Adjustments to your eating habits
• Liquid regulation
• Proper posture and safe lifting methods
• Strategies for managing constipation
• Any other advice for a better daily life and lifestyle

Complementing the exercises and techniques used in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations promotes enhanced pelvic floor function and general well-being.

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

Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in Town and Country, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in providing personalized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Town and Country, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting favorable patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a delicate and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest respect, empathy, and customized attention.

We also hold 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 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 exploring pelvic floor therapy in Town and Country, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Town and Country, MO area, all dedicated to attaining your best pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Town and Country, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to keep you from living your fullest life. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Town and Country, MO have a sole mission: getting you back to the things you treasure the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it difficult to manage your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your goals. Request an appointment online or contact the nearest location to you to embark on your journey with Axes Physical Therapy in Town and Country, MO today.