Pelvic floor therapy in Troy, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can impact your self-esteem and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the grass, beginning parenthood, or just getting through 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 research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Troy, MO can help you with:

• 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 creating customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the activities they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or desire to schedule an appointment with one of our experts, please contact us online today or contact to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you regain control and assurance in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that constitute a supportive hammock-like structure at the base 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 shields organs and your spine from external pressure while helping control several important functions.

The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by providing you command over the squeezing and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and avoids them from descending
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports optimal sexual function
• Provides sturdiness and alignment to the core and back
• During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and supports vaginal delivery in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymph circulation, helping to sustain 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 channels 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 web of muscles and tissues that constructs a sturdy foundation, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. It works like a supportive sling to preserve 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 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 works to keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have crucial roles. They aid 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 compromised or becomes too tense, it results in pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a condition where you have difficulty unwinding and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Challenges urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Often feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to force out waste
• Pelvic discomfort
• Pain during sex
• 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 doesn’t just affect people of a single certain age, gender or physical ability. While it can affect anyone deeply, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Troy, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to assisting you recover the pleasure 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, embarrassed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Troy, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a comfortable existence.

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

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can aid in improving bladder and bowel control, reduce symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and offer better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination promotes essential functioning, such as the ability to relax and contract the 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 eliminating the discomfort you experience caused by pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised during pregnancy and following childbirth. It can aid in readying the pelvic floor for delivery, decreasing the chance of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting particular muscles and dealing with any underlying issues, therapy can improve sexual excitement, orgasm, 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 teaching you tips you can try at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and empowers you to sustain a lifestyle that fosters pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Troy, MO who can support you in boosting your pelvic well-being and function. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate operative correction, the majority of patients in Troy, MO will experience long-lasting and significant improvement through minimally invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Troy, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Troy, MO will comprise an assessment of your existing pelvic floor condition. The remaining sessions will emphasize implementing your personalized treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Troy, MO physical therapist will spend time to understand you and your symptoms. They will ask about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will perform a physical examination and musculoskeletal assessment of your trunk and pelvis to determine your current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Troy, MO may additionally include an internal examination to better evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation conducted by your physical therapist will help in identifying the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the formulation of an optimal treatment plan to assist you in getting back to the activities you cherish.

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 customized to your needs. This plan will include defined goals, exercises, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving strength and balance is essential 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 sync your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle movements 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 reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your present health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may begin with you lying down on your back and gradually advance 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 utilizes a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to manage and align 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 control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to mark off – it also offers you entry to professional, research-supported insights that enhance your day-to-day life. Your physical therapist may suggest you with:

• Adjustments to your diet
• Fluid control
• Proper posture and lifting techniques
• Approaches for dealing with constipation
• Any other advice for a better day-to-day life and way of living

Complementing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adjustments fosters improved pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we wholeheartedly believe in offering customized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Troy, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and aims to obtain positive patient results. We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a delicate and demanding issue. 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 integrative care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and cutting-edge technology to inform our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we offer 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 considering pelvic floor therapy in Troy, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Troy, MO area, all committed to attaining your optimal pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to prevent you from being your favorite version of yourself. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Troy, MO have a sole mission: getting you back to the things you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your participation in your favorite sport or making it challenging to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your ambitions. Schedule an appointment online or reach out to the most convenient location to you to commence your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Troy, MO today.