Pelvic floor therapy in Weldon Spring, MO. Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just cause pain; it can impact your self-perception and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from returning to a favorite sport, beginning parenthood, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Weldon Spring, MO can lead to:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and inflammation
• Enhanced sexual performance and satisfaction
• Increased self-assurance and well-being

Axes Physical Therapy in Weldon Spring, MO specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they love most securely and successfully. If you are interested in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or wish to book an appointment with one of our specialists, please contact us online today or get in touch to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore command and assurance in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a complex of muscles, ligaments, and tissues 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 protects organs and your spine from external pressure while helping manage several important functions.

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

• Helps control your bladder and bowels by providing you control over the contraction and relaxing of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and prevents them from prolapsing
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports healthy sexual function
• Provides support 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 preserve healthy 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 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 forms a strong base, supporting the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from dropping down. 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 stool (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 lower belly (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and helps to keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have important roles. They help in controlling the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the right times and contribute 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 results in pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

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

Signs and Symptoms

• Challenges 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 push out waste
• Pelvic discomfort
• 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 Weldon Spring, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you regain the pleasure of participating 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 permanent condition. With pragmatic treatment plans tailored for you by your Weldon Spring, MO physical therapist, you can regain control over your life and enjoy a comfortable life.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, stretch, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Weldon Spring, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help 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 less resilient or more rigid muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can assist in lessening or eradicating the discomfort you feel due to 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 risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting particular muscles and addressing any hidden issues, therapy can enhance sexual arousal, orgasm, and general sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Your customized pelvic floor therapy plan will not exclusively include monitored exercises. By offering information and teaching you approaches you can utilize at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and enables you to maintain a routine that promotes pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of experienced pelvic floor therapists in Weldon Spring, MO who can support you in boosting your pelvic health and performance. Although some instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate operative correction, most individuals in Weldon Spring, MO will likely find long-lasting and substantial improvement through non-invasive physical therapy methods.

What Weldon Spring, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Weldon Spring, MO will comprise an evaluation of your existing pelvic floor health. 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 Weldon Spring, MO physical therapist will take the time to get to know 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 current condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Weldon Spring, MO may also involve an internal examination to further evaluate 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 assist in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the development of an optimal treatment plan to assist 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 Weldon Spring, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will incorporate specific goals, techniques, and projected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

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

• Kegel exercises to loosen and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to harmonize your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Flexibility exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle actions into everyday tasks

The exercises your Weldon Spring, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will vary 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 seated 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 mobilizing techniques (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 employs a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you understand how to regulate and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you live feedback on how they tighten and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle alignment and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to complete – it also offers you access to expert, science-backed insights that boost your daily life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Alterations to your eating habits
• Liquid regulation
• Appropriate posture and lifting techniques
• Strategies for dealing with constipation
• Any other tips for a better day-to-day life and way of living

Augmenting the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications fosters 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 other alternatives.

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in providing individualized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Weldon Spring, MO, our practice puts our clients at the center and endeavors to obtain beneficial patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a challenging and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, and customized attention.

We also embrace the belief in providing evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and cutting-edge technology to inform 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 interested in trying pelvic floor therapy in Weldon Spring, MO at Axes Physical Therapy, we are here to help. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Weldon Spring, MO area, all committed to realizing your ideal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Weldon Spring, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from living your best life. At Axes, our committed physical and occupational therapists in Weldon Spring, 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 challenging to manage your day, we will tailor our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your ambitions. Request an appointment through our website or get in touch with the most convenient location to you to start your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Weldon Spring, MO today.