Women’s health

Women’s health physiotherapists are experts in the conditions and possible complications that go hand in hand with being a woman and experiencing women's health problems.

The pelvic floor muscles play an important role in bowel and bladder function, sexual health and can contribute to pain in all women, whether you have had a baby or not. 

A physiotherapist with extra skills in women’s and pelvic health can help to assess your pelvic floor muscle function for strength and coordination, and to help restore optimal function using manual therapy, exercise and self management techniques to treat your symptoms.

Common complaints a women’s health physiotherapist can help you with include:

Pelvic pain

  • chronic pelvic pain

  • painful sex / dyspareunia 

  • vulvodynia / vestibulodynia

  • vaginismus / pudendal nerve pain 

  • coccyx / tailbone pain

  • low back / hip / groin pain

  • sciatic pain

  • endometriosis

  • adenomyosis

  • pelvic pain of unknown origin 

Bowel health

  • constipation 

  • obstructed defecation 

  • pelvic floor dyssynergia

  • rectal prolapse  

  • fecal incontinence  

  • hemorrhoids 

  • rectal pain 

  • fecal urgency

Bladder health

  • urinary incontinence 

  • bladder prolapse 

  • incomplete bladder emptying 

  • chronic urinary tract infection

  • urinary urgency

  • urinary frequency 

  • difficulty initiating urine stream 

  • overactive bladder 

  • prolapse

Perimenopause/menopause 

  • bladder and bowel changes

  • weight changes

  • sexual changes

  • joint and muscle pain

  • sleep disturbance 

  • safe exercise for bone strength

  • pelvic floor concerns

  • musculoskeletal concerns

What to expect

When you work with a women’s health physiotherapist, you can expect a superior level of expertise on the unique complexities of the female anatomy, physiology and lifespan (including female hormones). We draw on this expertise to treat various issues related to women’s health, pregnancy, menopause, and more.

When you see a women’s physiotherapist, you will be asked about your symptoms, experiences, and goals. If you’re seeing us for pelvic floor issues, you may also be offered a pelvic examination. But there is no need to be alarmed. You will always be consulted beforehand, all your questions will be answered and it is always perfectly acceptable to decline a pelvic examination. Plus it is not an automatic expectation that you will require an internal pelvic examination, there is a lot we can assess and achieve without doing one.

If you you decide, based on your physiotherapist’s assessment, to proceed with a pelvic examination, it’s understandable that you may be nervous. Always let your us know how you’re feeling, and we can reassure you or adjust to make you feel comfortable throughout the process. 

Generally, a women’s health physiotherapy appointment should take around one hour. However, the length of your appointment may vary depending on what treatment you require. Please wear comfortable loose fitting clothing in which you can move freely. Often, you’ll be performing low-impact exercises during your session.

It should also be noted that your physiotherapist is required to keep your information confidential. In other words, whatever you discuss during your women’s health appointment will stay between you and your physiotherapist, only working with other medical professionals who understand your circumstances with your consent.