Women’s Health and Physiotherapy
How is physiotherapy different for women?
Women’s Health is a specialised area of Physiotherapy. It focuses on the assessment and treatment of pelvic floor and musculoskeletal issues associated with women in all stages of life, from adolescence to pregnancy, birth, post-partum, menopause and beyond. Women’s health physiotherapy involves extensive training and experience in order to help women effectively.
Who should see a Women’s Health Physiotherapist?
Problems that are typically treated by a Women’s Health Physiotherapist include
- Sexual pain
- Urinary incontinence, urgency, frequency or prolapse
- Pregnancy related issues such as low back pain, pubic symphysis pain and pelvic girdle pain
- Mmastitis
Our Physiotherapy clinic in Kalamunda has a fully equipped Clinical Pilates gym which we use for tailored exercise programs to get you back to sport after a birth or to help get those pelvic floor muscles working again.
What to expect during a consultation
In a Women’s Health consultation, your Physiotherapist will discuss your presenting symptoms.
Usually an internal examination of your pelvic floor will be recommended as this assessment technique gives the most information about how the muscles are working. This examination is not compulsory and is completely optional.
We also have a real time ultrasound machine which allows us to image the pelvic floor non-invasively.
Treating and managing Women’s Health conditions
Treatment in clinic can include ultrasound, muscle release, EMG biofeedback for pelvic floor retraining and Clinical Pilates.
Following your assessment, you will also receive an exercise program to follow at home. There are devices to assist you perform these exercises and your Physiotherapist will discuss whether they are suitable for you.
What does it take to get better?
An exercise program is integral to improving your pelvic floor. It is something you will usually have to do for the long term and we can help give you ideas on how to integrate your pelvic floor training into your day to day life.
Clinical Pilates is also a great way of improving your pelvic floor and working on your overall body control at the same time.