Women’s Health

What is Women’s Health Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapists working in women’s health physiotherapy are concerned with musculoskeletal and continence problems that women may experience whilst pregnant, post-pregnancy, and at any stage during a woman’s life.

What conditions can be helped?

Conditions that can be addressed both antenatal and postnatal:

• Pelvic pain- including pelvic girdle pain
• Low back pain
• Thoracic pain
• Upper limb and neck pains
• Coccyx pain
• Rectus abdominis divarification ( separation of stomach muscles after giving birth)
• Stress urinary incontinence
• Urinary urgency and urge incontinence
• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Weak pelvic floor muscles following childbirth
• Overactive bladder syndrome
• Stomach muscle weakness after pregnancy

Aim of treatment

• To achieve the patient’s goal whether it to be pain free, have increased range of movement, improved function, no incontinence, muscle retraining or return to normal function

What do we provide?

• Assessment in the form of questioning and physical assessment
• Explanation of assessment findings
• Advice
• The setting of a mutual plan to achieve goals
• Initial treatment
• Ongoing treatment and review as necessary to achieve the goal
• Personalised appropriate exercise programmes to enhance treatment, achieve outcomes, and for long prevention of recurrence of symptoms as well as maintenance.
• Antenatal , postnatal, and 1:1 pilates sessions
• Postnatal body check to include (one hour)
  • Full back, pelvis, and posture check
  • Abdominal muscle assessment
  • Pelvic floor muscle assessment
  • Advice on postnatal exercises and safe return to activity and exercise
  • Handouts with useful information and exercises to work on independently

To make an enquiry regarding the above service, please contact us at Rodger Duckworth Physiotherapy on 0118 978 6149 and ask to make an appointment to see Sandra Watts.