Pelvic floor therapy in Winchester, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical discomfort; it can impact your sense of self and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from dominating on the grass, starting a family, or just getting through a day with the same assurance and comfort as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you require to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Winchester, MO can help you with:

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

Axes Physical Therapy in Winchester, MO specializes in designing personalized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or want to book an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or reach out to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you regain control and confidence in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that form a supportive net-like structure at the base of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a foundation for the organs in the pelvic region, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor shields organs and your spine from external pressure while helping manage several vital functions.

The pelvic floor has numerous functions and roles:

• Helps regulate 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 abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports healthy sexual function
• Provides support and alignment to the core and back
• During pregnancy, stretches 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 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 canals for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).

Picture the pelvic floor as a woven network of muscles and tissues that creates a resilient foundation, holding the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. It works like a reinforcing 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 assists you to hold in your poo (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 lower belly (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 assist in regulating the release of urine and stool by tightening and relaxing at the correct 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 experience difficulty unwinding and aligning your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Trouble 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
• Feeling like you need to strain urine or feces
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sex
• 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 can affect anyone, regardless of 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 Winchester, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team dedicated to assisting you recover the joy of engaging in the things 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, ashamed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Winchester, 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 benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Winchester, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can aid 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 supports vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less strong or more rigid muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can support in reducing or getting rid of the discomfort you endure 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 assist in readying the pelvic floor for labor, reducing the risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to childbirth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting particular muscles and addressing any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, climax, and overall sexual gratification.
• Education and self-management — Your customized pelvic floor therapy plan will not solely consist of guided exercises. By providing education and guiding you in techniques you can try at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you take an active role in your own care and enables you to sustain a routine that fosters pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of skilled pelvic floor therapists in Winchester, MO who can support you in boosting your pelvic health and function. Although some cases of pelvic floor dysfunction might require operative treatment, most patients in Winchester, MO will find lasting and significant progress through less invasive physical therapy approaches.

What Winchester, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Winchester, MO will comprise an evaluation of your current pelvic floor health. The following sessions will focus on implementing your personalized treatment plan.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. During this phase, your Winchester, MO physical therapist will spend time to familiarize themselves with you and your issues. 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 Winchester, MO may additionally involve an internal examination to further evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed as an substitute to 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 enable the creation of an suitable 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 Winchester, MO will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will include specific goals, techniques, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving muscle strength and balance is vital for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Winchester, 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 loosen tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to develop weak muscles
• Functional training to integrate new muscle patterns into routine activities

The exercises your Winchester, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your specific situation, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may begin with you lying flat 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 mobilization (freeing up compressed nerves), joint manipulation (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 makes use of a device to gauge 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 engage and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to engage and release the muscles properly, optimizing your muscle alignment and control.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

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

• Changes to your nutrition
• Liquid control
• Appropriate body alignment and safe lifting methods
• Strategies for managing constipation
• Additional tips for a more wholesome day-to-day life and way of living

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

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in delivering individualized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a committed physical therapist in Winchester, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting 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 highest respect, empathy, and tailored attention.

We also embrace the belief in delivering evidence-based and holistic 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 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 interested in trying pelvic floor therapy in Winchester, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Winchester, MO area, all dedicated to achieving your best pelvic health.

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

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to keep you from leading your fullest life. At Axes, our committed physical and occupational therapists in Winchester, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the activities you treasure the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your playing in your favorite sport or making it demanding to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your ambitions. Schedule an appointment through our website or contact the nearest location to you to start your recovery with Axes Physical Therapy in Winchester, MO today.