Women’s Health Physiotherapy
Women’s Health Physiotherapists, also called Pelvic Health Physiotherapists, are highly trained in assessing and treating conditions of the pelvis and pelvic floor.
How Can Women’s Health Physiotherapy Help Me?
1 in 3 women will experience urinary incontinence in their lifetime! Yet it is something that can still feel a little embarrassing to bring up or talk about. This shouldn’t be the case and there is a lot that Women’s Health Physiotherapists can help you with. NICE guidelines advise that supervised pelvic floor muscle training for at least 3 months should be the first line of treatment for stress or mixed urinary incontinence (NICE, 2019).
Female Urinary Incontinence / Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Bladder training techniques
- Pelvic floor muscle training – exercises, EMG biofeedback
- Advise regarding the use of pessaries/biofeedback equipment
Pregnancy / Antenatal / Prenatal / Obstetric Physiotherapy
- advice on continuing to exercise safely throughout pregnancy
- assessing pelvic floor function and helping to prevent post natal pelvic floor issues
- assisting in your physical preparation for labour with breathing techniques, positioning advice, perineal massage advice, TENS
- assess & treat pregnancy related musculoskeletal problems – e.g. lower back pain, sciatica, pelvic pain (sacroiliac joint or symphysis pubis pain), wrist pain
Post Natal Physiotherapy
- advice on returning to exercise safely – evidence based guidelines
- assess & treat pelvic floor problems e.g. weakness, incontinence, prolapse, pain & help you to re-educate and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles
- assess and treat diastasis recti / abdominal separation following pregnancy
- assess & treat c-section scar including effective scar massage and appropriate treatment options to maximise recovery and mobility of the abdominal tissues. You will be shown how to continue with this treatment and self manage at home
- assess and treat any musculoskeletal problems after pregnancy including upper/lower back pain, pelvic pain
- advice and tips regarding lifting & carrying your baby, breastfeeding positioning, reclaiming your posture postnatally
- once post natal, always post natal! It’s never too late to come for an assessment and work on your post natal condition.