Pelvic floor therapy in Troy, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical pain; it can affect your sense of self and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from returning to a favorite sport, beginning parenthood, or just getting through a day with the same assurance and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Troy, MO can help you experience:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Troy, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they love most safely and effectively. If you are interested in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or desire to book 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 reclaim command and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that create a supportive net-like structure at the bottom 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 protects organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping manage several vital functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by providing you command over the squeezing and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and prevents 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, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymph circulation, helping to maintain vibrant tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles span 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 passageways 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 constructs a strong base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from dropping down. It works like a reinforcing 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 supports 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 regulating the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the right times and play a part in sexual function and pleasure 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 occurs when you have difficulty unwinding and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Difficulty 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 pain
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Erectile dysfunction and trouble 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 affect anyone deeply, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Troy, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you regain the joy of engaging in the activities you cherish 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 not the same thing as a life sentence. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Troy, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and experience a pain-free life.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The positive outcomes of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Troy, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help 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 less resilient or less flexible muscles and addressing trigger points, physical therapy can support in lessening or eradicating the pain you experience resulting from 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 readying the pelvic floor for delivery, reducing the likelihood of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and addressing any hidden issues, therapy can boost 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 information and teaching you tips you can try autonomously, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and empowers you to maintain a routine that promotes pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Troy, MO who can assist you in boosting your pelvic well-being and performance. While certain cases of pelvic floor dysfunction may require surgical treatment, most patients in Troy, MO will likely experience lasting and substantial improvement through non-invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Troy, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Troy, MO will involve an examination of your current pelvic floor health. The remaining sessions will emphasize implementing your tailored treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. During this phase, your Troy, MO physical therapist will dedicate time to get to know 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 assess your present condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Troy, MO may additionally include an internal examination to further evaluate the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized instead of an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will assist in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the formulation of an suitable treatment plan to assist you in getting back 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 Troy, MO will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will incorporate specific goals, exercises, and projected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to loosen and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Stretching exercises to loosen tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to strengthen weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle actions into daily activities

The exercises your Troy, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your specific situation, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may commence with you lying down on your back and evolve to sitting and upright 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 mobilization (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 gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand 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 correctly, optimizing your muscle coordination and mastery.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Alterations to your eating habits
• Fluid control
• Correct posture and lifting techniques
• Approaches for addressing constipation
• Any other advice for a more wholesome everyday life and lifestyle

Augmenting the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments fosters improved pelvic floor function and general 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 Troy, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in delivering personalized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Troy, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and endeavors to achieve positive patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a challenging and difficult condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the highest respect, empathy, and personalized attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in delivering evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We employ 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 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 Troy, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Troy, MO area, all dedicated to realizing your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Troy, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to impede you from living your most life. At Axes, our devoted physio and occupational therapists in Troy, MO have a sole mission: returning you to the activities you value the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your participation in your favorite sport or making it challenging to get through your day, we will tailor our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your ambitions. Request an appointment through our website or reach out to the most convenient location to you to embark on your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Troy, MO today.