Pregnancy is a great time to get to know your pelvic health a bit better. We use a 1 hour pregnancy appointment to check your hips/pelvic joints and more importantly your pelvic floor muscles. We can assess the flexibility and strength of your pelvic floor muscles and how you are at “connecting” to those muscles. If you know how to relax them, how to “push” to optimise childbirth and hopefully make pelvic floor issues in the future less likely.

We also discuss positioning and breathing for birth which are key for giving birth. Learning this information is also helpful for early days c section recovery and beyond, as pelvic floor muscles are the cornerstone to good core health in the future.

Pelvic Girdle Pain is also our Speciality. It is a common condition in pregnancy but certainly something you just have to put up with. We use hands on therapy as well as the right advice and exercises to help improve your pain.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse is a common condition amongst women and does not have to be life-limiting. We are skilled in the assessment of pelvic organ prolapse and getting to the root source of the issue. We listen to your symptoms and plan to reduce those, so you can get on with the day to day, without bother or a lack of confidence about making things worse. Our management options can include getting your pelvic floor working optimally to provide the right support, reducing downward pressures, hypopressives and pessary fitting.

We can also use the point of care ultrasound via the perienum, to give us and you a real-time visual of the vaginal walls and your pelvic floor which can be useful information.

Niamh also fits pessaries for pelvic organ prolapse. This may be done in the initial appointment or on follow up if we run out of time etc.

Male Pelvic Health Physiotherapy is a specialist service that treats pelvic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction in men. A pelvic Health Physio can help with conditions such as bladder and bowel issues, sexual pain and prostate cancer.

How does a male pelvic health initial session work?

It starts with a sit down to go through your symptoms and how it is affecting your day to day life. We will work out what your goals are for that session.

The physical exam involves checking your pelvic and hip joints and some of their associated muscles and ligaments in standing and lying down.

We can use our palpation skills to assess your pelvic floor muscles. We can also use real-time ultrasound to view the pelvic floor inside the body.

This assessment is pain-free and accurate. We can assess the strength, responsiveness and tension in the pelvic floor and provide tailored treatment, as well as monitor your progress.

Bladder issues are super common after pregnancy and with increasing age. Sometimes the symptoms can affect your day to day and stop you enjoying the things that bring you joy.

Bladder issues can include bladder pain, recurrent UTIs, bladder urgency (otherwise knows as an overactive bladder) and urinary incontinence.

Many people will put up with symptoms, but we have very good evidence to suggest that Pelvic Health Physiotherapy can help.

We carry out a thorough assessment via dialogue and a pelvic examination to see what is causing your bladder issue. For example, stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence are treated in different ways. We are also skilled in assessing and treating bladder prolapse and symptoms associated with recurrent UTIs/Bladder pain.

Together we formulate a management plan to help treat the root cause of your issue. This can include pelvic floor muscle training (restoring the right amount of flexibility and strength), bladder re-training, the right advice and muscle biofeedback via ultrasound. Our aim is to give you back the things you love to do, without being ruled by your bladder!

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women and can take an average of 7-10 years to diagnose. It can range from superficial to deep. It's not uncommon for it to affect the bladder, bowel and rectovaginal tissue. Many women will come to clinic with symptoms including pelvic pain and issues with bladder and bowel function. We also have women visit us after laproscopic surgery for endometriosis or post-hysterectomy. They are often feeling ill-equipped on how to become active again and fearful of movement.

Physio can include:

• Gathering a full background history and goals for moving forward.

• Hands-on treatment

• Pelvic floor muscle release

• Breathing

• Movement and exercise

• Pain management advice

A total hysterectomy is removal of the uterus and cervix and is often carried out for various reasons including:

• Heavy periods

• Fibroids

• Endometriosis

• Carcinoma

• Uterine Prolapse

Its major surgery performed through the abdomen or vagina. To reduce the risk of a pelvic organ prolapse occurring, you may also undergo a sacrospinous fixation surgery (sacrocolpopexy)

Post surgery Pelvic health physiotherapy can help you to get back on track with management including:

• Help with back, abdominal or pelvic pain

• Scar massage

• Pelvic floor muscle release work

• Screening for prolapse

• Pelvic floor muscle training

• Advice on getting back to exercise and activity effectively.

Many people will find us in the Postnatal Period. The popular MOT postnatal check is a 1 stop appointment to thoroughly assess your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles following delivery. We screen for any bladder, bowel, sexual dysfunction and pelvic organ prolapse at this appointment too.

We specialise in some of the common postnatal conditions such as diastasis, postnatal pelvic pain, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunction and incontinence . Pelvic floor problems can affect everyday life and dominate your day to day. We are here to help and empower you to prevent or overcome whatever issue is holding you back from living the life you want to live. Postnatal Physio is also great for women who want to return to exercise post-baby in a safe and effective way. We also offer caesarean scar massage and post C-section rehab.

Hormonal changes associated with this life transition can impact the bladder, pelvic floor muscles and vaginal tissues. These changes are normal but the symptoms associated with them are treatable.

We can help you to resolve issues like bladder urgency, incontinence and painful sex. So that you can have the pelvic health that you deserve, moving forward.

We also offer strength training sessions with an experienced coach within our small private gym. Strength training has been shown to be a valuable way to optimise health through and beyond menopause.

Many women suffer with dyspareunia (pain with sexual activity) and usually there is a straightforward reason, and that is why we use our assessment techniques to see what is the most likely reason. In clinic we treat Vaginismus. This is the term used to describe recurrent or persistent involuntary tightening of muscles around the vagina whenever penetration is attempted.

The symptoms include burning or stinging pain upon penetration, as well as intense fear or loss of desire when penetration is attempted.

Vaginismus isn't "only" about sex, it's about life. Penetrative sex is not the only thing its victims lose . It can painfully interfere with regular gynecological examinations, the use of tampons and period cups, or even childbirth.

Vulvodynia is a symptom of burning or pain at the opening of the vagina making penetration difficult.

It is extremely treatable and pelvic health physio can help you get there. We work through your history, thoughts and fears about treatment and take it step by step according to your goals.

We work with clients with Vulval pain Mainly with Vulvodynia (pain in the vulval area) and Vaginismus (pain in vulval area, alongside muscles spasms making penetration difficult)

Most patients with genital/sexual pain work with medical/ psychological treatment alongside physiotherapy and this combination does improve chances of resolution.

VULVODYNIA is a symptom that involve sensations like burning or irritation in the area of the vulva.  The cause of vulvodynia should be identified. These usually include a Muscular, Neurological, Hormonal, Dermatological, Infective, Inflammatory, Allergic or Psychological driver.

Pelvic Health Physio management includes helping to desensitise the vulval tissues, restoring the normal pelvic floor muscle length, releasing tension, relaxation, nervous system down training and muscle biofeedback.

Sessions are designed to feel safe, empowering and comfortable. We work with the client via close communication whilst being trauma informed.

Bowel issues encompass anal fissures, bowel urgency, leakage, prolapse or difficulty emptying.

The anal opening sits within the pelvic floor muscle sling and pelvic floor physio can assess the dysfunction and help you to manage it.

Pelvic pain

Pelvic pain is an umbrella term for the experience of pain in the pelvic joints (Coccyx, Pubic or Sacral area) or from within the pelvis itself (pelvic floor, vaginal, visceral organs).

It can be chronic and debilitating. We use our assessment skills to find the driver for your pelvic pain and use a targeted approach to help decrease the pain. We work within our scope of practice and know when to refer onwards to other health professionals if needed.

The sessions are designed to feel safe and empowering and goal-orientated.