Women’s Health Physiotherapy

Since the start of September 2020 I have been treating clients privately in Monmouth, Wales.

I am passionate about women’s health physiotherapy.  I find it really frustrating that so many women put up with problems that specialist treatment could resolve.

It seems to be such a taboo subject that often women are too embarrassed to talk openly about their problems, and so they remain unreported and untreated.

It gives me immense satisfaction when clients report significant improvements, if not cure.  I just wish more people knew about women’s health physiotherapy and how it works.

As an advocate of women’s health physiotherapy I have been  invited to speak on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour about the subject of hypertonic pelvic floor muscles.  Before I moved to Wales, I was also invited to speak on BBC Radio Sheffield.

Specialist Women’s Health Physiotherapy

I am a clinical specialist women’s health physiotherapist treating women who suffer from:

• pregnancy-related musculo-skeletal problems with bladder, bowels, pelvic pain or pelvic floor
• antenatal or postnatal problems associated with pregnancy / childbirth
• gynaecological problems such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic pain symptoms
• I also treat men suffering from incontinence problems post-prostatectomy.

Find out more about the conditions I treat.

If you are not sure if you need treatment, do my Pelvic Floor Questionnaire and/or consider having a Pelvic Floor MOT.

Women’s health physiotherapy can improve the quality of women’s lives by empowering them to take control of their problems. In fact research-based evidence and government health guidelines recommend supervised pelvic floor muscle training as a first-line course of action to treat urinary incontinence and/or pelvic organ prolapse.

Don’t suffer in silence!  If you have a women’s health problem, now’s the time to do something about it.  Contact me for a free telephone consultation to discuss how women’s health physiotherapy might help, or arrange to see me at the Monmouth Natural Health Clinic in Monmouth, Wales.  (See Contact details for more information.)

What is women’s health physiotherapy?

Women’s health physiotherapy is a non-surgical treatment for a number of women’s health problems (see conditions treated).  As many as one in three women will experience some kind of women’s health problem during their lifetime, but often they are too embarrassed to seek help.  If the problem has developed since childbirth, they might even think it’s normal.  These problems can lead to women developing their own coping strategies, such as cutting out ‘high risk’ activities like exercise; going to the toilet more frequently than necessary; drinking less in the misguided belief if will stop them leaking; or relying on pads as an expensive solution to the problem.  Yet sometimes all it takes is some specialist treatment and advice to get women back on track.

I understand how distressing talking about some of these problems can be and am experienced in dealing sensitively with clients, putting them at ease, in the comfort of a private setting.  In this way clients can feel confident enough to talk openly about their problems, knowing everything they say will remain strictly confidential.

My women’s health physiotherapy practice is holistic.  It is not just about teaching pelvic floor muscle exercises, although this is obviously an important element (see The pelvic floor).  Treatment is tailored to help reduce any pain or embarrassment clients may be experiencing, whilst at the same time restoring and/or improving function (be it bladder, bowels or mobility).  Clients are often surprised to learn that women’s health physiotherapy involves a broad range of treatment and advice, for example on bladder and bowel habits, diet, fluid intake, exercise and lifestyle.   I provide plenty of information and advice and also the opportunity to ask questions so that clients can decide on the best treatment options for them (see What to expect).

Women’s health physiotherapy – positive outcomes

For the majority of the people I treat it is life-changing (see Client testimonials).  It can help women to:

• reduce pain
• restore and/or improve function
• be more active and exercise with confidence
• remain dry on coughing or sneezing
• hold on instead of having to rush to the toilet
• cut down the frequency of visits to the toilet
• manage prolapse symptoms and reduce any feelings of discomfort
• take control of bowel problems
• resolve certain kinds of sexual dysfunction
• improve the quality of their lives