Funding
About Women’s Health
Physiotherapy
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Our Women’s Health Physiotherapy Services
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that sit at the base of the pelvis and support the pelvic organs.
The muscles stretch from the pubic bone at the front to the tail bone at the back of the pelvis. The pelvic floor is made up of numerous muscles that together act to provide support to our organs, helping prevent pelvic organ prolapse and also control bladder and bowel emptying.
The pelvic floor muscles are also important for sexual function in both men and women.
These muscles also work with the back and abdominal muscles to support and stabilise the pelvis and spine.
Over time the pelvic floor muscles can become loose and weak due to numerous factors. These muscles can get stronger through regular exercises and your Women’s Health physiotherapist can teach you the best way to do these.
Some women can suffer from pelvic pain. One cause of pelvic pain is an over activity of the pelvic floor muscles. This can impact on bladder, bowel and sexual function. Your women’s health physiotherapist is trained to help you deal with these issues.
Many women experience some pain in their pelvis during and after pregnancy. This can occur either at the front of the pelvis or in the form of buttock pain.
Pregnancy causes the body to release hormones, which relax the ligaments around the pelvis in preparation for childbirth. Instability around the pelvis can occur as a result, leading to muscular pain. This may continue post-natally.
Pain may be found at the front or back of the pelvis and can occur when:
- Walking
- Rolling in bed
- Getting in or out of a vehicle
- Getting in or out of a chair
Management:
Your Advantage Healthcare and Physiotherapy physiotherapist will assess your symptoms and subsequently determine the most effective treatment, including:
- Provision of a a supportive belt to help compress and stabilise the joint
- Pelvic floor exercise program and self-massage techniques to reduce pain
- Preglates (pregnancy-specific Clinical Pilates) exercise programs to maintain strength during pregnancy and expedite post-natal recovery
- Real-time ultrasound to assist with retraining pelvic floor muscles
- Access to Advantage Healthcare and Physiotherapy’s women’s health specialist
If you have ongoing issues, your physiotherapist can help advise you how to minimise your symptoms and deal with the extra demands on your body looking after a new baby.
During pregnancy there are a lot of changes that are happening to a women’s body as it transforms. Hormonal changes cause ligaments and fascia to soften, abdominal muscles stretch, pelvic floor muscles can become weakened, new forces are placed on the body, plus many more…
Some women whilst pregnant may experience back pain, pelvic girdle pain and or pelvic floor dysfunction. Your women’s health physiotherapist can help you to best deal with these problems.
Even if you aren’t suffering any symptoms, visiting your Women’s Health physiotherapist can help you to make sure your body is in its best condition for pregnancy and labor. Advice such as correct lifting techniques, postures, appropriate exercises and ergonomic advice will help you during your pregnancy.
Many women experience some pelvic pain during and after pregnancy. This can occur either at the front of the pelvis or in the form of buttock pain. Pregnancy causes the body to release hormones, which relax the ligaments around the pelvis in preparation for childbirth. Instability around the pelvis can occur as a result, leading to muscular pain. This may continue post-natally.
Pain may be found at the front or back of the pelvis and can occur when:
- Walking
- Rolling in bed
- Getting in or out of a vehicle
- Getting in or out of a chair
Management
Your physiotherapist will assess your symptoms and subsequently determine the most effective treatment, including:
- Provision of a a supportive belt to help compress and stabilise the joint
- Exercise programs and self-massage techniques to reduce pain
- Preglates (pregnancy-specific Clinical Pilates) to maintain strength during pregnancy and expedite post-natal recovery
- Real-time ultrasound to assist with retraining pelvic floor muscles
- Access to Advantage Healthcare and Physiotherapy’s women’s health specialist
If you have ongoing issues, your physiotherapist can help advise you how to minimise your symptoms and deal with the extra demands on your body looking after a new baby.
Pilates is known as being one of the safest forms of exercise to start while pregnant. It also has many advantages of being able to focus on specific areas of your body to assist you with your pregnancy and your recovery afterwards.
Pilates is safe while pregnant, although it is important to have a thorough assessment to ensure your program is specific to your changing body’s needs. Pilates is such a great form of exercise whilst pregnant as you can continue regular specific exercise throughout your entire pregnancy. Your program will continually be monitored and changed based on your strength and stage of your pregnancy.
At Advantage Healthcare and Physiotherapy, we take the time to understand your body and what it needs so we can create an individual program to suit your pregnancy.
Importantly, we recommend seeing a Physiotherapist for your Pilates during this time to maintain your pelvic health. They have expert knowledge of anatomy, recovery from pregnancy and birth, and safe pelvic floor exercise prescription. These professionals know what is normal for your body to be experiencing during and after pregnancy. They talk your doctor’s language and can report any issues early to your doctor and obstetrician.
Pilates exercise programs at Advantage Healthcare and Physiotherapy are carried out under the supervision of both the practice principal Physiotherapist and a Physiotherapist with a Women’s health special interest. We have real time ultrasound equipment to view your pelvic floor and will check on the function of these important muscles before you start your Pilates program.
After the birth of your baby it is a good idea to visit a Women’s health physiotherapist as they can provide you with post-partum advice which is relevant to both mums who have had a caesarian delivery or vaginal birth.
You can learn how to regain your pelvic floor strength, what exercises are appropriate for you, advice to help your body adapt to the demands of a growing child and lifestyle advice.
Urinary incontinence affects between up to 63% of women. Having a strong pelvic floor is your first step to resolving incontinence.
Women can suffer from urgency incontinence (occurs when rushing to get to the bathroom, washing hands etc) and/or stress incontinence (occurs when a high load is transferred through the abdomen to the bladder e.g. cough, sneeze, laugh, jump, lift, run etc).
Seeing a Women’s Health physiotherapist at Advantage Healthcare & Physiotherapy can help you to identify factors that are contributing to your symptoms and help you to address ways to help control your incontinence.
Your incontinence can be improved.
Our Women’s Health Physiotherapist
Eleni Cody
Physiotherapist & Pilates Instructor
Qualifications
Eleni started her career as a Personal Trainer after studying Human Movement Studies (Exercise Science) in 2000. It was here that she developed her interest in injuries and rehabilitation, and went on to study a Master of Physiotherapy Studies at the University of Queensland (2005).
Experience and Interests
Eleni joined Advantage Healthcare and Physiotherapy in 2007. She has a keen interest in Women’s Health, having studied further since graduating. She has a special interest in helping women with pelvic floor weakness, bladder problems, returning to exercise post-birth and assisting women with prolapse. Eleni also enjoys teaching Pilates and rehabilitation and progressing individuals, of all ages and abilities, through their strengthening and fitness program.
Eleni also enjoys working with patients with musculoskeletal conditions and seeing them overcome their injuries. She uses adjunct therapies such as acupuncture, dry needling and cupping.
Other Interests
Eleni is a busy mum of two young children. In her “free” time she enjoys being in the outdoors, running, going to the beach, catching up with friends and family and eating out!
Book Appointment
Complete the form below or call us on (07) 3396 7775 directly.
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