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 tend to occur in women and the most common problem tends to be 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)

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

Women's Health
& Continence

Red Flag Questions

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

Non-Invasive Examination

Physical or visual examination of the pelvic floor is not always required.  The function of the pelvic floor can often be satisfactorily assessed by real time ultrasound, allowing both the therapist and patient to see its function, during assessment and as a biofeedback tool during retraining.

Pelvic Floor Fitness Test

In just 30 minutes our Women's Health & Continence Physiotherapists can assess your pelvic floor.  This non-invasive screening test could change your world.