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Pelvic Floor & Pre/Postnatal Physiotherapy 

At Day One Physio, we understand that the journey of pregnancy and childbirth is one of profound change—both physically and emotionally. Our specialized Pelvic Floor and Pre/Postnatal Physiotherapy services are designed to support you through every stage of this transformative time. Whether you’re preparing for the arrival of your little one, navigating the postnatal recovery phase, or seeking relief from pelvic floor concerns, our expert team is here to guide and empower you.

Pelvic Floor Assessments

A pelvic floor physiotherapy assessment is a thorough evaluation to diagnose and address issues related to the pelvic floor muscles. We know that sometimes these issues can come with embarrassment but we are dedicated to taking away that stigma and helping you be your best physical self. 
 

We treat and discuss a range of pelvic floor conditions and conditions that impact the pelvic floor including:

  • Stress or urge urinary incontinence 

  • Faecal incontinence and chronic constipation

  • Bladder/bowel/uterine prolapse and pessary fittings

  • Acute or chronic lower back pain and sciatica

  • Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction

  • Chronic coccyx pain

  • Mid-back and rib pain 

  • Pelvic floor overactivity 

  • Vaginismus, vulvodynia and dyspareunia

  • Endometriosis, adenomyosis, PMDD and uterine fibroids 

  • IBS and interstitial cystitis

  • Pre and post gynaecological surgery

  • postmenopausal pelvic floor conditions including prolapse, incontinence and pelvic pain

Ready Set Go

Pelvic floor assessments for Runners and Athletes

Working Out

When assessing female athletes, we focus on several key aspects to ensure optimal performance and prevent injuries related to the pelvic floor. These assessments are crucial because the pelvic floor plays a significant role in core stability, urinary control, and overall functional strength, all of which are vital for athletic performance.

Initially, we will evaluate your overall pelvic health by discussing any symptoms such as pelvic pain, incontinence, or discomfort during physical activities. We will also consider your training routine, any recent injuries, and specific demands of their sport to understand the context of their symptoms and physical stress.

The physical examination typically includes an assessment of the pelvic floor muscles' strength, coordination, and endurance. This can involve both external and internal evaluations, where we check for any signs of muscle weakness, tightness, or dysfunction. For athletes, it's essential to assess how well these muscles can handle the high-impact and repetitive stresses they face during training and competition.

Additionally, we will look at your posture, alignment, and core stability. We will examine how the pelvic floor integrates with other muscle groups, particularly the core and lower back, as these areas are interlinked in maintaining stability and preventing injuries. The assessment may also involve evaluating your movement patterns to identify any biomechanical issues that could impact the pelvic floor.

Based on the findings,we will develop a tailored plan that may include exercises to strengthen or relax the pelvic floor, improve core stability, and address any specific dysfunctions or imbalances. We will also provide strategies to manage or prevent pelvic floor-related issues during training and competition, ensuring that you can perform at your best while maintaining optimal long-term pelvic health.

Prenatal Assessment

Pregnancy and childbirth are risk factors for changes in pelvic health and as such, every woman should become educated about what they can do to reduce their risk. As pelvic health physiotherapists, we can assess your current pelvic health, teach you how to activate these muscles correctly and look at ways to optimise them throughout each trimester and leading into birth. Increased stretch through the abdominal muscles paired with a change in hormones increase a pregnant person's risk of developing aches and pains. We can effectively manage and reduce these pains by using a variety of treatment strategies including manual therapy, education, exercise and support garments/belts

We treat a range of pregnancy related conditions including:

  • Lower back and sciatica 

  • Pelvic girdle pain and pubic symphysis dysfunction

  • Lateral hip pain when sleeping

  • Neck, mid- back and rib pain 

  • Stress or urge urinary incontinence

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Calf cramps

  • Safe exercise in pregnancy 

  • Diastasis recti of the abdominals (DRAM)

  • Birth preparation, including perineal massage, epi- no device, pushing strategies, birthing positions, pain management and early postnatal recovery

  • Coccyx Pain

Pregnant belly

Postnatal assessments

Mother and Baby

Whether you are a first time mum, or have had previous children, every woman should have a postnatal assessment to be educated about how to activate your pelvic floor correctly and how to prevent common postnatal injuries.Pregnancy and childbirth can have a large impact on your physical body and each women should be empowered on how they can best support themselves in their recovery. in our postnatal assessments, we discuss your birth experience, pelvic floor, abdominal recovery, your exercise goals and any current aches and pains. Following this, you will be offered a pelvic floor assessment, abdominal assessment and you will leave with a tailored and graduated rehabilitation/return to exercise plan that is in line with your goals. 

We treat and discuss a range of post-natal related conditions including

  • 6 week postpartum pelvic floor check up

  • Childbirth injuries, including high grade perineal tears

  • Stress and urge urinary incontinence 

  • Bladder/bowel/uterine prolapse 

  • Cesarean scar management and perineal scar/episiotomy scar management

  • Diastasis recti of the abdominals (DRAM) assessment and rehabilitation

  • Lower back pain and sciatica

  • Neck, mid-back and rib pain

  • DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis 

  • Tennis elbow/golfer’s elbow 

  • Return to running/weightlifting/sport programming

Birth Preparation

In our birth preparation appointments, we focus on assessing and optimizing the health and function of the pelvic floor muscles in anticipation of childbirth. Pelvic Floor physiotherapists are trained to evaluate how well these muscles are likely to handle the stresses of labor and delivery, and to provide strategies to strengthen or relax them as needed.

This appointment will include: 

- Discussion of your pregnancy history, including any symptoms or concerns related to pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, or musculoskeletal pain 

- A pelvic floor assessment to evaluate the strength, tone, and coordination of the pelvic floor muscles

- A personalised program, which may include exercises to strengthen or relax the pelvic floor, techniques for better breathing and pushing during labor, and advice on managing pain or discomfort.

- Discussion of how to perform perineal massage to reduce your risk of sustaining a grade 3 or 4 perineal tear during labour 

- A personalised 6-week postpartum recovery plan including discussion of compression garments, abdominal separation, specific core exercises, postpartum pelvic floor exercises, how to best empty your bladder and bowels and returning to exercise safely

Pregnancy Exercise

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT 

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Women's health appointments available through our booking link below

Experienced Physiotherapists

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Our team of experienced physiotherapists at Day One Physio is dedicated to helping you achieve your physical goals. We believe that every individual is unique, and we work with you to create a customized plan that meets your specific needs. With a commitment to promoting overall wellness and recovery, we empower our clients to take control of their body and physical goals, helping them live their best physical life from the beginning, at Day One. Click here to learn more about our team.

The clinic:

Ground Floor 7 Howard Street Richmond 3121 

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