Pelvic Health Physio

What is Pelvic Health Physiotherapy?

• incontinence (leakage of pee)
• urinary frequency and/or urgency (need to pee often / can't wait to get to a toilet)
• bowel issues including constipation, straining or pain
• unexplained pain in the low back, the pelvic region, the genital area or the rectum
• pain during or after sex
• organ prolapse
• pelvic pain associated with endometrioses, interstitial cystitis, and prostatitis (just to name a few)
• pre and post pregnancy issues including pain, leakage, bulging and scarring from c-sections, tearing or episiotomy

• It is not normal to leak when you laugh, cough or sneeze.
• It is not normal to have pain with intercourse.
• It is not normal to feel pressure or heaviness in your pelvic region.
• It is not normal to feel pain in the pelvic region. 

Who do we treat?

We treat women of all ages and for a wide range of issues. Young athletes who may have incontinence issues, women pre and post pregnancy, sedentary women with pain issues, bowel or bladder issues and pre or post menopausal women may all benefit from pelvic health physiotherapy. 

What to expect on your first visit

Your physiotherapist will want to know all the details of your problem, which can take some time, as most people have had quite a journey to even get to a pelvic health physiotherapist. They will want to know what you have tried so far, what surgeries or procedures you have had, what medications you are on and what your general health is like. They will also want to know what makes your pain or leaking worse and how it affects your life. The primary difference with having a problem in your pelvis, compared to having a problem in your shoulder or knee for example, is that it affects some of life's most important functions. So the therapist will ask you about how  how often you go to the bathroom, whether it is painful to urinate or have a bowel movement and how and if it has affected your sexual relationships. After all, the aims or goals of treatment are often things like being able to have intercourse again without extreme pain, being able to sit through a movie without having to get up to go to the bathroom, being able to have a pain-free bowel movement or being able to return to hiking or the gym without the fear of leaking or your pain increasing. 

At this point your physiotherapist will likely evaluate your posture, breathing patterns, other joints and muscles in your spine and hips, along with sensory and reflex tests. She will then directly evaluate the pelvic floor muscles for their movement, strength, and coordination. This is done internally through the vagina (similar to a PAP test), and is the only way for the physiotherapist to see if your muscles, tendons, ligaments and other structures are working the way that they should be. Research continues to show that when pelvic floors are assessed internally, treatments carried out by pelvic health physiotherapists are highly successful and should be the first line of defence before surgery or medication. Always remember that pelvic health physiotherapists are highly trained, sensitive professionals who will discuss all aspects of assessment and treatment with you thoroughly before proceeding.