Women's Health and Continence Physiotherapists specialise in the function of the pelvic floor - a sling of muscles between the legs. The Pelvic floor reaches from side to side across the floor of the pelvis and is attached to the pubic bone in front, and to the coccyx (the tail end of the spine) behind. It forms our undercarriage and serves to hold our pelvic and abdominal contents up and in.

The pelvic floor can be weakened during pregnancy, childbirth and with aging. Whilst we all have a pelvic floor the majority of problems occur in women with the most common problem being incontinence. Nevertheless men suffering from incontinence (usually post-prostatectomy) and even erectile dysfunction can be helped by physiotherapists who specialise in the pelvic floor.

The openings from the bladder (urethra), bowels (rectum) and womb (vagina) all pass through the pelvic floor, so it is easy to understand how a problem in this area can lead to a range of debilitating conditions such as

• Stress and urge incontinence
• Pelvic organ prolapse (bladder, uterus or bowel)
• Pelvic pain syndromes (vulvodynia, vestibulitis, vaginismus)
• Bowel disorders (irritable bowel, constipation)

Women's Health and Continence Physiotherapists can assess these problems and advise on the correct exercises to improve your condition

Red Flag Questions

1. Do you lose any urine when you cough, sneeze or run?
2. Does your bladder become urgent?
3. Did you experience any back pain during pregnancy?
4. Do you have any separation of your stomach muscles?
5. Post-birth, did your doctor find any prolapse?
6. Did you have a difficult delivery?
7. Are you concerned you may have a prolapse?
8. Have you had any pelvic or spinal surgery?
9. Do you have any concerns with your bowel control?
10. Do you regularly strain to use your bowels?
11. Did menopause make your bladder concerns more marked?
12. Are you unsure about how to contract your pelvic floor muscles correctly?