Intro to Pelvic Health!


A lot of people and patients ask me how and why I got into Pelvic Health Physiotherapy. I can appreciate that it is not the first choice for a lot of new grads, particularly as it involves treating very personal and private areas of the body and isn’t quite as glamorous as being a physio for elite athletes. 

My introduction to Women's and Pelvic Health was during my first clinical placement within a Brisbane maternity hospital where every woman who gives birth has the opportunity to consult with a specifically trained physiotherapist. I particularly enjoyed getting to see and hold lots of newborn babies, educating the new mothers and getting to be (a small) part of such a momentous event in people's lives. Since moving to Canada I have had the opportunity to learn from some amazing, experienced mentors and further my interest. I think it is an incredibly important area of health and physiotherapy services that can empower women by teaching them and helping them take control of their bodies, preventing and curing potential embarrassment, inconvenience, pain and dysfunction due to disorders of the pelvic floor.  

In my future posts, I will provide a checklist of things to look out for that may indicate problems with the muscles of the pelvic floor, various pelvic floor conditions, when to see a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist and most importantly, how to prevent complications of the pelvic floor and surrounding muscles. 

My favourite part of treatments and interactions with my patients is the "I never knew that before!" moment. I absolutely believe that the more you know about your body, the healthier and happier you can be. 

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Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Part 1

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The risk of Pelvic Organ Prolapse can increase with pregnancy and vaginal delivery, however may occur even without any pregnancies and can even happen to men! What is it?  'Prolapse' comes from the latin word prolabi which means "to fall out". Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) involves the descent of the pelvic organs; the bladder, bowel or uterus, into the vaginal space.  The degree of prolapse is measured on a scale of 0-4, determined by how much the organs have moved toward the opening of the vagina or if they are protruding outside the body. This may be observed by your family doctor, OB/GYN, birth professional or pelvic health physiotherapist by asking you to cough or hold your breath and bear down for 8 seconds to determine the extent of the prolapse.  The female pelvic anatomy (larger pelvic outlet and open space of the vagina) combined with our upright posture makes women particularly vulnerable to this condition. However, men can also experience similar ...
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What's the big deal about walking?

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Turns out that walking is a pretty big deal and is vital for the function of our pelvic floor muscles. Using your own two legs to get around also has unique and widespread benefits throughout the body compared to other forms of exercise such as cycling, swimming, running and even the elliptical or stair climber.  Walking promotes: Bone Mineral Density (preventing osteoporosis)   by repetitively  loading the bones of the lower body and spine in a vertical manner with vibrations from the heel striking the ground Cardiovascular Health by recruiting every single muscle in the body from the small muscles in your feet to your core, shoulders and ribs for optimum innervation and circulation.  Weight Management  as your body is able to burn more fat at moderate, rather than high intensities and heart rates Musculoskeletal Health with a natural frequency and loading to help nourish, rather than burn through the cartilage in the knees and hips and of...
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Post-Natal Pelvic Care and Return to Exercise

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