Treatment Information
Women’s Pelvic Health Physiotherapy
What is pelvic health physiotherapy?
As physiotherapists, we are interested in how your body is working and how that is affecting your ability to live your life the way you would like to. So as pelvic health physiotherapists, we are interested in how structures in your pelvic area function (vagina and uterus in women, and the bladder and bowel in men and women).
We want to know about these functions and how they affect day to day life, including your ability to exercise and participate in hobbies, work, sleep and enjoy relationships. This means finding out about the pelvic floor, breathing muscles, abdominals, leg muscles, back muscles and arm muscles.
Once we understand your functioning, we can find ways to treat this and work towards your goal, whether that is empowering you to say yes to going on the trampoline without worrying about leaking (an example of stress incontinence).
Anna Watson:
Anna Watson is a member of Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) and has over 15 years experience in women’s health physiotherapy.
She has been trained to use acupuncture specifically for women’s health problems and musculoskeletal pain in pregnancy. She is passionate about issues within women’s health and promoting best care for women.
As a mum of 2 and a trained Doula, she can empathise with her patients and can contribute enhanced skills to fully understand and implement the best management for her pregnant patients.
Working in women’s health for many years, she can see the emergence of a need to address the changes women undergo through menopause and a need to support this. She is passionate about enabling women to be the best they can be.
Conditions Treated:
Pregnancy related musculoskeletal problems back pain, pelvic girdle pain, Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), rib pain, diastasis recti
Menopause related musculoskeletal problems tendon pain, sarcopenia
Read Anna’s blog on pelvic pain in pregnancy here
Read Anna’s blog on split abdominals (diastasis recti)
Read Anna’s blog on Menopause and Tendon Pain
Evie Spreadbury:
Did you know over 60% of women in the UK have at least one symptom of poor pelvic health, and 53% did not seek help from a healthcare professional?
These statistics and the fact that some women have children and all women will go through menopause, demonstrates the huge need for women’s pelvic health healthcare.
Evie Spreadbury is a member of Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) and has been undergone specialist training for women’s health and gynaecological issues.
Evie understands the changes a woman goes through throughout her life, and how this can impact the pelvic floor and the rest of the body. Evie has the right skills, knowledge and passion to empower you and improve your quality of life.
Conditions:
Pregnancy related musculoskeletal pain – back pain, pelvic girdle pain, rib pain, diastasis recti
Bladder and bowel health – urgency / frequency, stress incontinence, overactive bladder, constipation
Pre-natal pelvic floor – guidance on how to exercise during pregnancy, support with pelvic floor dysfunction such as bladder leaks, support in preparing for childbirth, advice and guidance on recovery once your baby arrives
Post-natal pelvic floor / recovery – return to exercise, diastasis recti, C-section recovery, pelvic floor dysfunction
Menopause related dysfunction – vaginal dryness, painful sex, overactive bladder, incontinence.
What will my assessment with Evie be like?
You will have an extensive consultation (up to 1 hour) in a comfortable, private room. There is no rush, and Evie will need to ask you a number of relevant questions, giving you plenty of time to answer and discuss those answers. Some questions and answers will be understandably personal, but necessary, in order to help understand your symptoms and how to best help you. Evie will assess how you move, and if appropriate, do an internal vaginal examination.
Link to ‘What do I check during an internal examination?’ blog – new tab (so they can check back on previous page).
Links to any other future blog posts
Assessment and treatment can be administered in the clinic or in the comfort of your own home.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from Women’s Health issues and would like to have a physiotherapy assessment for suitability of Women’s Health physiotherapy treatment, contact us here.
Assessment and treatment can be administered in the clinic or in the comfort of your own home.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from Womens Health issues and would like to have a physiotherapy assessment for suitability of Womens Health physiotherapy treatment, contact us here.
References:
Hannestad YS, Rortveit G, Sandvik H, Hunskaar S. A community-based epidemiological survey of female urinary incontinence: the Norwegian EPIN CONTstudy. Epidemiology of Incontinence in the County of Nord-Trondelag. J Clin Epidemiol 2000; 53:1150–1157.
Hom D. Variations in estimates of urinary incontinence prevalence in the community: effects of differences in definition, population characteristics, and study type. J Am Geriatr Soc 1998; 46:473–480. 24.
Price, N., Dawood, R. and Jackson, S.R. (2010) ‘Pelvic floor exercise for urinary incontinence: A systematic literature review’, Maturitas, 67(4), pp. 309–315. doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2010.08.004.
RCOG calling for action to reduce number of women living with poor pelvic floor health (no date) RCOG. Available at: https://www.rcog.org.uk/news/rcog-calling-for-action-to-reduce-number-of-women-living-with-poor-pelvic-floor-health (Accessed: 15 October 2024).
Our frequently asked questions about Womens Health Physio?
Women may benefit from Women’s Health Physiotherapy at various life stages, such as during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, menopause, or when experiencing pelvic floor issues, pain, or incontinence.
Women’s Health Physiotherapy focuses on the assessment and treatment of conditions specific to women, including pelvic floor dysfunction, prenatal and postnatal issues, incontinence, pelvic pain, and musculoskeletal concerns.
Yes, Women’s Health Physiotherapy is specialized in addressing pelvic floor dysfunction, including conditions like pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and pelvic pain.
