After a warm introduction, Emily will begin by initially asking you a series of questions about your basic health, along with the problem you’re currently experiencing. Rest assured you will be able to discuss your symptoms in complete confidence to allow a full assessment of your situation.

Following this initial discussion, an examination will take place, which may may require you to undress to your underwear or shorts and vest. This is to allow us to better understand what is affecting your movement and posture. During this examination you may be asked to move into different positions, such as standing or lying down, which we will do only moderately and considerately if you are in any discomfort. For pelvic floor issues, we may offer to do an internal examination, which normally takes 5-10 minutes and should not be painful.

We aim to provide an environment in which you feel comfortable and confident to explore your symptoms and ultimately help you achieve the freedom to enjoy your daily life. You are, of course, more than welcome to a friend or family member along to your treatment for support.

Emily will work with you to put together a personalised plan. Depending on your symptoms and objectives for treatment, this plan could help with such things as the following:

• Reducing leakage through muscle training, improving your posture and breathing control.
• Developing strategies to help you suppress bladder and bowel urgency.
• Reducing pelvic pain in pregnancy and helping you stay active in your pregnancy.
• Creating a personalised pilates-based exercise programme for pregnancy and postnatally.
• Reducing your tummy gap postnatally as quickly and effectively as possible.
• Giving you an understanding of what influences your symptoms and how to change them.
• Reducing any discomfort in your pelvis, groin or vagina to allow you to enjoy physical activity and sex.
• Learning strategies and improving the ability of your body to empty your bladder and bowel effectively.
• Ensuring you’re able to do the physical activity you love without the fear of symptoms limiting you.
• Helping you prevent a prolapse developing or worsening.

Shockingly 1 in 3 women experience women’s health problems during their lifetime but many tolerate these problems, often for years, either being too embarrassed to seek help or unaware that there are treatments available.

To counteract this, our mission here at Katie Bell Physiotherapy & Wellness is to help each and every woman that comes to our clinic take back control of the symptoms affecting them, helping them regain the freedom to do the things they love and need to do each day.

Whether you are suffering from pregnancy-related musculoskeletal problems, such as back pain, pelvic pain, sciatica or carpal tunnel syndrome, or struggling with bladder, bowel and pelvic floor dysfunction, causing incontinence, pain, pelvic organ prolapse or sexual dysfunction, our expert women’s health physio, Emily, will be able to help.