Pelvic floor therapy in Womack, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical discomfort; it can affect your self-perception and independence. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from dominating on the grass, beginning parenthood, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and ease 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 Womack, MO can help you experience:
- Improved bladder and bowel control
- Reduced discomfort and swelling
- Enhanced sexual function and satisfaction
- Increased self-assurance and quality of life
Axes Physical Therapy in Womack, MO specializes in developing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pursuits they enjoy most securely and successfully. If you are interested in finding out more about pelvic floor therapy or desire 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 command and confidence in your pelvic health.
Understanding the Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that create a supportive web-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a foundation for the organs in the pelvic area, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor safeguards organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping manage several everyday functions.
The pelvic floor provides a number of vital functions for the body:
- Helps control your bladder and bowels by giving you command over the contraction and relaxing of muscles
- Supports organs in the pelvis and stops them from prolapsing
- Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
- Supports healthy 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 lymphatic circulation, helping to preserve 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 connecting 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).
Picture the pelvic floor as a woven mesh of muscles and tissues that creates a resilient base, holding the pelvic organs in place and preventing them from dropping down. 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 helps 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 essential roles. They assist in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and contribute 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 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 coordinating 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 strain waste
- 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 have a negative impact on your physical, mental, and emotional health, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Womack, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team committed to helping you regain the joy of engaging in the pursuits 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 frustrated, embarrassed, or despairing. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With practical treatment plans tailored for you by your Womack, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a comfortable life.
Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Womack, MO include:
- Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can assist 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 promotes vitals functioning, such as the ability to relax and contract the muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
- Pain management — By targeting less strong or stiffer muscles and addressing trigger points, physical therapy can support in reducing or getting rid of the pain you endure caused by pelvic floor dysfunction.
- Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised during pregnancy and following childbirth. It can aid in preparing the pelvic floor for childbirth, minimizing the likelihood of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recovery from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to giving birth.
- Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and tackling any hidden issues, therapy can boost sexual excitement, orgasm, and overall sexual fulfillment.
- Education and self-management — Your personalized pelvic floor therapy plan will not solely comprise supervised exercises. By offering education and guiding you in methods you can try at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate 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 experienced pelvic floor therapists in Womack, MO who can assist you in improving your pelvic well-being and performance. While certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might necessitate surgical treatment, most patients in Womack, MO will likely experience sustained and significant progress through non-invasive physical therapy methods.
What Womack, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves
Your initial pelvic floor therapy session in Womack, MO will comprise an examination of your existing pelvic floor condition. The following sessions will emphasize implementing your customized treatment program.
Assessment and Evaluation
The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. In this appointment, your Womack, MO physical therapist will dedicate time to familiarize themselves with you and your issues. 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 assess your present condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Womack, MO may also include an internal examination to better evaluate the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be used as an substitute to an internal examination.
The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will assist in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the creation of an optimal treatment plan to help 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 Womack, MO will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will include specific goals, techniques, and projected results to guide your therapy.
Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy
Improving muscle strength and coordination is vital for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Womack, MO are:
- Kegel exercises to relax and tighten the pelvic floor muscles
- Diaphragmatic breathing to sync your breath with your pelvic floor movement
- Stretching exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
- Resistance exercises to build up weak muscles
- Functional training to include new muscle actions into routine activities
The exercises your Womack, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will differ based on your particular needs, but will all be aimed at rehabilitating your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your existing health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start with you lying down on your back and gradually advance to seated and upright 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 massaging specific areas of your pelvis. It may include trigger point therapy (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 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 learn how to control and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you real-time feedback on how they contract and relax. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and release the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle integration and control.
Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications
Physical therapy isn’t just a list of exercises to mark off – it also provides you with access to expert, science-backed 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 safe lifting methods
- Strategies for managing constipation
- Further recommendations for a better everyday life and way of living
Enhancing the exercises and techniques utilized in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations encourages enhanced 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 other alternatives.
Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in Womack, MO
At Axes Physical Therapy, we strongly believe in delivering personalized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a devoted physical therapist in Womack, MO, our practice is focused on the client and getting positive patient results. We comprehend that pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as a delicate and demanding condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, empathy, and customized attention.
We also subscribe to the belief in offering evidence-based and comprehensive care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and advanced technology to shape 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 interested in trying pelvic floor therapy in Womack, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Womack, MO area, all committed to attaining your ideal pelvic health.
Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Womack, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today
Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from being the best version of yourself. At Axes, our dedicated physical and occupational therapists in Womack, MO have a sole mission: returning you to the things you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it difficult to get through your day, we will tailor our physical therapy treatment plan exclusively to you and your ambitions. Request an appointment online or reach out to the closest location to you to commence your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Womack, MO today.
