Pelvic floor therapy in Valley Park, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause hurt; it can affect your sense of self and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from returning to a favorite sport, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to feel like your best you again. With research-supported treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Valley Park, MO can help you achieve:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced pain and inflammation
• Enhanced sexual function and pleasure
• Increased confidence and well-being

Axes Physical Therapy in Valley Park, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in gaining more information about pelvic floor therapy or want to book 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 restore control and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that constitute a supportive web-like structure at the base 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 shields organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping control several everyday functions.

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

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by providing you authority over the contraction and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from descending
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports well-functioning sexual function
• Provides stability and posture 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, contributing to sustain vibrant tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles extend 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 openings or canals 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 forms a resilient base, holding the pelvic organs in place and preventing 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 helps you to hold in your stool (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 works to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have essential roles. They aid in controlling the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the appropriate times and play a part in sexual function and satisfaction by supporting the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is compromised 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 coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for ideal 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 need to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to force out waste
• Pelvic pain
• 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 can affect anyone, regardless of 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 Valley Park, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you recover the joy of engaging in the activities 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, embarrassed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is far from a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans customized for you by your Valley Park, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a pain-free life.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The positive outcomes of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Valley Park, 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 facilitates essential functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting weaker or stiffer muscles and addressing trigger points, physical therapy can aid in reducing or eradicating the discomfort 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 delivery, reducing the chance of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and promoting healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor associated with giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By focusing on particular muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, orgasm, and general sexual fulfillment.
• 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 utilize autonomously, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and empowers you to maintain a way of life that supports pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Valley Park, MO who can support you in boosting your pelvic well-being and performance. While certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate operative correction, most individuals in Valley Park, MO will find lasting and meaningful improvement through less invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Valley Park, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Valley Park, MO will include an examination of your current pelvic floor condition. The subsequent sessions will center around implementing your tailored treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. In this appointment, your Valley Park, MO physical therapist will take the time to familiarize themselves with you and your symptoms. They will inquire 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 approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Valley Park, MO may also include an internal examination to further assess the strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed instead of an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will assist in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate the creation of an effective treatment plan to assist 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 Valley Park, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will incorporate precise goals, exercises, and anticipated results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving physical strength and balance is crucial for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Valley Park, MO include:

• Kegel exercises to relax and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor motion
• Stretching exercises to loosen tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle patterns into daily tasks

The exercises your Valley Park, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will change based on your particular situation, but will all be aimed at reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may begin with you lying down on your back and evolve to sitting 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 myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve decompression (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 understand how to control and align your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they engage and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and relax the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle alignment and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to complete – it also gives you entrée to skilled, science-backed insights that boost your daily life. Your physical therapist may suggest you with:

• Adjustments to your eating habits
• Fluid regulation
• Proper body alignment and safe lifting methods
• Approaches for dealing with constipation
• Further tips for a healthier day-to-day life and way of living

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

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in offering personalized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Valley Park, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and endeavors to achieve favorable patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a challenging and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, empathy, and customized attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in delivering evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We make use of 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 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 Valley Park, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Valley Park, MO area, all devoted to achieving your best pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Valley Park, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to impede you from being the best version of yourself. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Valley Park, MO have a unified mission: getting you back to the things you love the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your participation in your favorite sport or making it difficult to get through your day, we will customize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your goals. Request an appointment through our website or contact the nearest location to you to commence your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Valley Park, MO today.