Pelvic Health Physiotherapy
What is a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist?
Pelvic Health Physiotherapists are Physiotherapists that have undertaken specialised training, often at the tertiary level, which allows them to assess, diagnose, treat and manage a variety of conditions within the pelvis. This could include but is not limited to conditions involving the bladder, the bowels, the uterus and the pelvic floor muscles across all life stages.
I am deeply passionate about the health and wellbeing of women, and will work with you to ensure you are educated about your condition and treatment options and empowered to make the right decision for you and your body based on the most up to date evidence.
What are some common conditions that you treat?
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Did you know that 1 in 3 women will experience urinary incontinence in their lifetime?
Leakage can often be exacerbated by the changes that occur as a result of pregnancy, childbirth and menopause
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Did you know that Pelvic Organ Prolapse affects up to 50% of women in Australia?
The most common symptoms are a heavy or dragging sensation and can be brought upon by childbirth, menopause and other lifestyle factors such as heavy lifting and constipation.
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Bowel conditions may include symptoms such as fecal incontinence and urgency, constipation and pain.
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The term ‘pelvic pain’ is an umbrella term referring to pain experienced within the pelvis.
This may be related to conditions such as endometriosis or adenomyosis, intercourse, lower back issues and many more.
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Carrying a baby is one of the many incredible things that a womans body can do, however it does put some extra pressure on our pelvic floor muscles and our body as a whole.
This can result in a variety of pelvic floor and musculoskeletal conditions such as incontinence, prolapse and general aches and pains.
In an ideal world, I recommend that all women undergo a pre natal AND post natal assessment with a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist both to prevent and/or address and treat any concerns including preparing for birth and discussing exercise both during and after. -
Your body has just done a remarkable thing, but often the focus is solely on the health and wellbeing of the baby with little concern for the mother.
I really want to change that narrative.
Post partum checks ensure that your pelvic floor and abdominals are healing well and that you are getting the support you need to ensure this happens. We will discuss sex, feeding, return to exercise and everything in between to make sure you are getting the support and information you need in the fourth trimester and beyond.
What can I expect from my appointment?
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I love learning about people, and the more I know about you as a person, not just a ‘patient’, the better I can assess your condition and make sure we find the best treatment plan available.
Expect questions about your life, your family, your job, exercise and training, your general health and of course questions relating to your specific pelvic health concern which can cover everything from bladder and bowel health, sex, periods and everything in between.
While this might feel like a lot, I promise this information is all necessary to get to the bottom (pardon the pun) of what is truly going on.
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This is the part of the appointment that I get the most questions about, and understandably so!
The assessment of pelvic floor conditions often involves an internal vaginal examination.Please rest assured that if this is what I feel to be the best way to assess your condition, I will explain the process step by step and you will always have the opportunity to decline this examination.
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Based on all of the information I have gathered from the all of the talking and the physical assessment, I will provide you with in-depth information about the condition, what is causing it, and all of the options we have at our disposal.
This is a collaborative process, and I encourage you to be as involved as possible so that we can find the best approach for you and your current life stage.