What is women’s health physiotherapy?
Women’s health physiotherapy encompasses incontinence, any pelvic pain, pain during pregnancy and other conditions and ailments specific to women.
What we can do?
Skilled physiotherapists can assess and treat your pelvic girdle pain, pregnancy pains, post pregnancy pains, incontinence, prolapse and core muscles with our knowledge of anatomy and modern technology. Once again at Mitchell Physiotherapy we have a physiotherapist with a special interest in women’s health. Treatment can be done in a private room with the utmost confidentiality.
Physiotherapy and Incontinence.
Research has shown, that between 60% and 80% of incontinence cases can be cured with physiotherapy pelvic floor exercises done under the guidance of a qualified physiotherapist
So you are considering physiotherapy to help you resolve your incontinence issues. What can physiotherapy do to help? The physio will assess the strength co-ordination and control you have over your pelvic floor muscles. At Mitchell Physiotherapy we use real time ultrasound to help us assess your pelvic floor, you will be able to see your pelvic floor contracting.
The physiotherapist will then show you appropriate exercises to get your pelvic floor stronger. We will also look at bladder control issues and will get you to complete a time volume chart. It usually takes between 6-8 visits spread over 6 months to get your pelvic floor restored. Obviously this does depend on how well you exercise it and how weak it is.
Your treatment may include an end stage exercise class; in this class we teach you high level coordination and facilitation exercises. You can continue to attend the class for as long as you like. We want you to be unburdened by this problem.
Pelvic Pain.
Caroline Cooper has had proven success in treating women and men with pelvic pain. Chronic pain that is associated with intimacy, womens health, post or pre-pregnancy and every day life, may be curable by our pelvic pain specialist Caroline Cooper. Every case is unique which means treatment techniques vary, so please give us a call.
FAQ
What are the pelvic floor muscles?
The pelvic floor is a sling of muscles that sits underneath the bladder and attaches to the base of the spine (coccyx) and the pubic bone.
The pelvic floor is multi-functional:
* It supports the pelvic organs —bladder, bowel and uterus
* It prevents the leaking of urine as the bladder gradually fills up and when there is a pressure increase in the abdomen i.e. when you laugh or cough ect. When the pelvic floor muscles relax another reflex fires and the bladder contracts to expel urine.
* It gives us confident bowel control. Strong and efficient pelvic floor muscles allow you to feel the sensation that you ‘need to go’ and allows you to hold on until you are ‘ready to go’.
Why are pelvic floor exercises important?
* To reduce or overcome the problem of stress incontinence
* To prevent pelvic floor weakness following menopause
* To improve bladder control in people with urge incontinence
* To support the increasing weight of baby in pregnant women
* Pelvic floor muscles play an important role in sexual pleasure
* Support pelvic organs
What weakens the pelvic floor muscles?
Some factors that contribute to a weak pelvic are:
*Pregnancy and childbirth *Obesity
*Menopause
*General ageing process
How to target and strengthen floor muscles?
A strong pelvic floor is achieved by exercising it regularly and correctly. As with any other muscle in the body, it needs to be exercised in order to keep it functioning well.
For more information regarding Mitchell Physiotherapy’s Women’s Health services or to book an appointment please contact 4933 6895.
