Pelvic health physio appointment – what to expect
Never seen a pelvic health physio before and not sure what to expect?
If it’s your first time seeing a pelvic health physio, or you’re just curious about what we do, I don’t blame you for wanting to learn more before coming in for an appointment.
Pelvic health physios work with people to manage health conditions that are often considered “taboo” and “private”, so it is understandable to be a bit nervous before coming to see one.
As a pelvic health physio myself, I believe it is my absolute privilege to be trusted by my patients to help them manage health conditions that have a lot of shame or stigma attached to them. But most of all, empowering people to not only manage their health condition, but to feel more confident and more in control of their story and their life is extremely rewarding work.
The first thing I want you to know is that your pelvic health physio has heard it all before.
I always say that I’ve yet to have a patient shock me. Whatever it is that you are struggling with, we are here to help.
Taboo topics are our jam: painful intercourse, haemorrhoids, prolapse, menopause, bladder leakage, diarrhoea, constipation, multiple things at once… the list is endless.
I want you to know that we are professionals with high levels of expertise, and we will always take anything you tell us seriously and treat you with the utmost respect.
What does a pelvic health physio appointment actually involve?
The subjective history taking (aka – a chat)
This is a chat all about you and why you’ve come in! Pelvic health physio appointments often involve discussing a lot of “taboo” topics that can be difficult to discuss, so take your time. You should know that your pelvic health physio is a professional and will respond to you with empathy and understanding.
Common things we will discuss:
…and anything else you’d like to discuss!
The assessment (aka – let’s see what’s going on)
The assessment we conduct depends on why you’ve come in, and what you’re comfortable with. We will always discuss your assessment options fully with you, and allow you to choose what suits you best.
It could include any of the following:
- A pelvic floor assessment: an internal exam, an external exam, or real time ultrasound. This enables assessment of:
- Pelvic floor muscles – including technique, strength, tone, endurance and coordination
- Vaginal wall laxity/prolapse assessment
- An abdominal muscle assessment: hands on assessment of your tummy, or using real time ultrasound. This enables assessment of:
- Abdominal separation
- Abdominal muscle function/core strength
- A musculoskeletal assessment if appropriate. This is to assess for common conditions such as:
- Pelvic girdle pain or pelvic instability
- Back or rib pain, or sciatica
- Hip, groin or thigh pain
- Arm, wrist or hand pain.
Treatment (aka – helping you manage or fix your problem)
Once we have assessed you, the fun part begins – creating and commencing your treatment plan.
Our treatment recommendations will depend on a few things:
- What we find in our assessment;
- What you are comfortable with;
- What your goals are.
Common treatments include:
- Pelvic floor exercises (or Kegels)
- Core (abdominal), hip or pelvic exercises/stretches
- Massage, trigger point release or dry needling to loosen tight muscles (primarily for lower back, pelvis or hip pain)
- Modifying your diet to assist with bowel or bladder problems (e.g. fibre, supplements, caffeine intake)
- Use of vaginal trainers, e-stims, or biofeedback devices if appropriate.
*Treatment recommendations are individual to each person and will always be discussed with you, with options for you to choose what suits you best.
