Hello and welcome to this space of learning and sharing together. Wondering about what actually happens when you see a Pelvic Floor Physio (aka. Women's Health Physiotherapist)? Well, let me talk you through it...
To start with - we have a chat!
My passion lies with getting to know you, listening to your story, learning your goals and empowering you with as much knowledge as I can so you know your body inside and out.
I will spend a good amount of time at your first appointment learning about your medical history, what you like to do for exercise, the history of your pelvic floor (such as childbirth or previous sexual
experiences) and details about your toileting habits. But of course, we will focus on what has brought you to a pelvic floor physiotherapist in the first place.
Physiotherapists are not really known for doing anything invasive, we seem to be a more
conservative bunch! But, there are certain muscles inside your body that are best assessed
internally. However, there are some other ways of checking of what’s happening down there and
we always gain full consent prior to any assessment, and can stop at any time you might feel
uncomfortable.
A vaginal examination with a physio is very different from your GP or Gynaecologist. We don’t use a speculum for example, and mostly assess with one finger inside your vagina.
Being specially trained means that we can check all sorts of interesting things like:
your muscle anatomy (which might be a bit different after having a baby)
the strength of your muscles, and making sure you know how to use them
where and why you might be having pelvic pain
if you have any extra stretchiness (prolapse)
what are the dimensions of your genital hiatus (important info and we can tell you why)
An internal assessment generally takes between 5-10 minutes and can give you lots of information
and answers. However, this isn’t always the answer to everything. Often at an initial appointment
you might get some homework to do as a way of gathering further information to best help you.
Most often this in the form of a bladder or bowel diary which you would then bring back to your next appointment for us to assess.
Your pelvic floor muscle is only one part of what we can help you with, and often it is just one piece of the puzzle. We can help with bladder re-training, poo problems and getting the perfect poo, addressing pain with sex or other pelvic pain, pregnancy aches and pains, prolapse problems and post-natal rehabilitation (including getting back to running!).
For me, working at Eve Wellness Co. is such a beautiful opportunity for wonderful women to
work together and for women. If you find you need more spiritual, psychological or physical support, it's all here, in one place, for you, and I can happily point you in the right direction.
Anna is passionate about educating and empowering women to achieve their goals, helping them to feel confident and in control of their bodies. Over her 10 year career she has gained expertise in this specialised area of womens health and pelvic floor physiotherapy. She delivers her knowledge via individualised treatments with empathy and a desire to improve the quality of life of all her clients.
Read more about Anna or make an appointment with her here.