What is Female Pelvic Health Physiotherapy

Women’s health physiotherapy is the therapeutic treatment of all disorders affecting the pelvis and pelvic floor. From incontinence to prolapse, overactive bladder, pelvic pain or constipation, there is growing evidence that physiotherapy can alleviate, and in many cases cure these symptoms. Ciara is very experienced in treating women through pregnancy, post-natally, through menopause and beyond!

What can I expect at my women’s health appointment?

Your assessment and treatment will be tailored specifically to you and your presenting complaints. We will start with a detailed history which will be taken in privacy – we are very sensitive to the fact that these conditions may be difficult to discuss.

Your physical assessment will most likely begin with examination of your abdominal muscles, pelvis and lumbar spine – these structures house your all important pelvic floor muscles; a dysfunction in one of these areas can result in dysfunction elsewhere. If appropriate, you may then be offered an internal examination. This is an important part of your assessment and necessary in identifying the tone, strength and control of your pelvic floor muscles. Using finger palpation the pelvic floor muscles and connective tissue will be assessed for injury or scarring, signs of pelvic organ prolapse, muscle tone, tenderness, sensation and neural sensitivity. Following which, the pelvic floor muscle will be tested for strength and endurance. It is important to determine if the left and right, superficial and deep pelvic floor muscles are working together, and if not, why not.

Following this we can then develop you a specific and individualised treatment and exercise programme. The assessment findings will be discussed with you and treatment will depend upon findings and your symptoms.

Conditions we treat

• Pelvic Floor Muscle Tightness vs Weakness

• Pelvic organ Prolapse

• Pelvic pain, including Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain

• Incontinence

• Constipation

• Urinary frequency and urgency – Including overactive bladder syndrome

• Pudendal nerve injury

• Intersistitial Cystitis

• Vaginal pain including vaginismus and Vulvodynia

• Diastasis recti abdominis muscle – tummy muscle separation post-natally

• Perineal/episiotomy and caesarean section scarring

Treatments we offer

• Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises

• Biofeedback and muscle stimulation for pelvic floor muscle retraining

• Internal pelvic floor muscle release

• Perineal and scar massage

• Diagnostic ultrasound for pelvic floor retraining and abdominal muscle recovery

• C-Scar massage

• Pessary fitting for prolapse and stress urinary incontinence

• Post natal rehabilitation