We recognize the wide spectrum of problems that can affect women through life stages.
Women’s Health Physiotherapy is the therapeutic treatment of all disorders affecting the pelvis and pelvic floor. From incontinence to prolapse, pelvic pain or constipation, there is growing evidence that physiotherapy can alleviate, and in many cases cure these symptoms.
At the Physio Clinic Balbriggan , Senior Physiotherapist Zara Bowler has specialized training in treating these issues.
It’s important for women to know that help is available and that the issues above are common and treatment is available.
Women’s Health Physiotherapy can help with:
- Pelvic pain including pelvic girdle pain during and after pregnancy
- Diastasis recti – abdominal muscle separation
- Return to activity and exercise postnatally
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Incontinence, urinary frequency and urgency – Including overactive bladder syndrome
- Recovery after pelvic & abdominal surgery, such as hysterectomy, caesarean section and episiotomy.
- Education into healthy lifestyles in regards, breathing, pelvic floor function
- Back pain and posture
What can I expect at my Women’s Health Physiotherapy appointment?
Your assessment and treatment will depend upon your presenting condition. We will start with taking a confidential and detailed history. Understanding the onset of your symptoms and how your daily life is affected is vital in directing your treatment.
Your physical assessment will most likely begin with examination of your Pelvic, lumbar spine and abdominal muscles.
Following this assessment you may be offered an internal examination. This is an important part of your examination and necessary in identifying the tone, strength and control of your pelvic floor muscles, and their co-ordination with other muscles in the trunk and pelvis.
The pelvic floor muscles and connective tissue will be assessed for injury or scarring, signs of pelvic organ prolapse, muscle tone, tenderness, sensation, strength, endurance and neural sensitivity.
The assessment findings will be discussed with you and treatment will depend upon findings and your symptoms.
Once we establish your baseline of pelvic floor muscle control we can then develop a specific and individualised exercise programme.
This may include exercises to relax or strengthen the pelvic floor, and will probably include selected Pilates exercises. Manual treatment to the pelvis, spine or external muscles may be indicated. At times, manual techniques applied to internal muscles can be very helpful in addressing a ‘hypertonic’ pelvic floor.
We also often work on breathing pattern and discuss sleep ‘hygiene’, nutrition and hydration, all of which have an effect on the pelvis and pelvic floor muscles.
