What is women’s health physiotherapy?

We are lucky to have Aby Tobin working with us, who is one of the premium providers of pelvic pain physiotherapy in Hertfordshire.

To book an appointment with Aby, please click here.

Women’s health physiotherapy is a specialist area of physiotherapy treatment for musculoskeletal problems specific to females. Women’s health problems can include anything from needing to go to the toilet very often to pelvic pain, incontinence and general aches and pains. Sometimes this comes with pregnancy or the menopause but these types of problems affect many women of any age
and any walk of life. Women’s health problems are not necessarily something that comes up in conversation with friends or family. This makes it difficult for women to find out that they don’t have to deal with these symptoms and that actually, physiotherapy can be of great help!

What can we help with?

Pregnancy:

– Advice and treatment for any pain during pregnancy. This commonly includes pelvic girdle pain, rib pain, back pain and sciatica.
– Pelvic floor physiotherapy exercises to help prevent and treat incontinence caused by weak pelvic floor muscles
– Breathing techniques
– Pregnancy Pilates and pregnancy massage
– Advice for safe exercise during pregnancy

Post-natal Physiotherapy:

– Diastasis recti/tummy gap rehabilitation
– Looking after your body after a traumatic delivery (forceps/ventouse/episiotomy/tears)
– Looking after your body after a C-section
– Pelvic floor rehabilitation- incontinence/pain/heaviness/pelvic organ prolapse

– Aches and pains- commonly in the shoulders, back or pelvis

– Urinary Incontinence
– Practical advice relating to breast feeding, lifting and carrying your baby (and all of the accessories!)
– Wanting to return to exercise after giving birth
– Wanting to strengthen your core
– Post-natal Pilates

Physiotherapy for women going through the menopause:

– Advice and treatment for all aches and pains associated with the menopause
– Pelvic floor assessment and rehabilitation
– Exercise during the menopause
– General well-being

Physiotherapy for all women:

– Chronic pelvic pain and pelvic floor problems
Lower back pain
Sciatica

– Leaking – when standing up after going to the toilet, during exercise, when coughing,sneezing or laughing, during intercourse
– Pain during sexual intercourse

– Pelvic floor dysfunction

– Heaviness/dragging sensation in your vagina
– Physiotherapy for Pelvic organ prolapse
– Bladder training/overactive bladder- frequent urination, having to get up in the night, needing to go urgently
– Wanting to improve core strength

What does women’s health physiotherapy involve?

We have lots on offer at Carter & George to diagnose your problem and help relieve your symptoms. Women’s health problems are complex and often involve more than one part of the body, so it is important that we take a thorough and detailed history before the assessment. We will begin with a detailed discussion to find out what you’re struggling with. This will include lots of questions about your symptoms, gynaecological
history, toileting habits, sexual concerns, pelvic health and current routine. You will also need a thorough physical assessment of your muscles and joints so that we can see how things are working. Depending on what your problem is, an internal examination of your vagina might be useful so that we can be really specific with your diagnosis. However, this is not always necessary.

Women’s Health Physiotherapy Treatment:

Following your assessment, we will know what your problem is and you will be given a step-by-step treatment plan. Treatment plans commonly include a combination of hands-on physiotherapy techniques and a tailored exercise programme. Hands-on techniques may include techniques such as soft tissue mobilisation, joint mobilisation, acupuncture, stretches, shockwave therapy and taping. There are also some internal vaginal manual therapy techniques which can be used for the pelvic floor muscles. Your exercise programme may involve exercises for areas such as the pelvic floor, back, hips, pelvis and lower limbs. We frequently use bladder diaries and mobile apps as part of our treatment. Women’s health physiotherapy is very structured and goal-orientated at the Carter & George Practice, so you will always know exactly what you are working towards.

If you are looking for physiotherapy for women’s health physiotherapy or a pelvic physiotherapy specialist in Hertfordshire, then please contact us today!

Please note, we do not currently have a Women’s Health Service in Hitchin, however we are working on it! If you need a women’s health physiotherapist in Hitchin, please contact us and we can connect you with Aby who can recommend the best route forward.