Our mission
To help each woman take back control of their symptoms gaining the freedom to do the things they love and need to do each day.
What we treat
Bladder leakage: This can happen with a cough or sneeze but also during exercise or sex. You may also notice leakage when you need to go to the toilet.
Bowel leakage: Problems controlling wind and bowel motions. You may also find that this happens without you feeling it.
Urgency and frequency: Rushing back and forth to the toilet with an unreasonably strong urge to go is known as an Overactive Bladder. You may leak when you feel this happen.
Prolapse: A feeling of an ache, heaviness or bulging in your lower tummy, vagina or groin. You may find it difficult to use tampons or suffer with discomfort during sex.
Pelvic pain: This is often first noticed during pregnancy but can happen for different reasons throughout our lives. You may feel this worsens around your period and with exercise.
Pelvic floor dysfunction: The pelvic floor muscle can become weak which makes it difficult for it to support and control the pelvic organs. For some people have overly tight muscles which can lead to symptoms of constipation, pain and leakage.
Tummy muscle doming: This is seen normally during the later stage of pregnancy or after delivery. The connective tissue between your ‘six-pack’ muscles may lengthen and soften affecting the way they support your body. You may have noticed doming as you sit up, a protruding belly or a dark line develop along the centre of your tummy.
Pregnancy and postnatal pilates programmes: Ideal for women wanting to optimise their posture and body control to help prevent or reduce discomfort, supporting an active lifestyle and preparing for birth and beyond.
How our treatment can help
Emily will work with you to create a personalised plan to:
- Reduce leakage through muscle training, improving your posture and breathing control.
- Develop strategies to help you suppress bladder and bowel urgency.
- Give you the understanding of what influences your symptoms and how to change them.
- Help you prevent a Prolapse developing or worsening.
- Empty your bladder and bowel effectively.
- Do the physical activity you love without the fear of your symptoms limiting you.
- Reduce discomfort in your pelvis, groin or vagina to allow you to enjoy physical activity and sex.
- Reduce pelvic pain in pregnancy and help you keep active in your pregnancy.
- Create a personalised Pilates based exercise programme for pregnancy and postnatally.
- Reduce your tummy gap postnatally as quickly and effectively as possible.
What to expect
You will be able to discuss you symptoms in complete confidence to allow a full assessment of your situation. An examination may require you undress to underwear or shorts/ vest as you feel comfortable. This will allow us to understand what is affecting your movement and posture.
You may be asked to move into different positions (e.g. standing or laying) 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. For any examination you are welcome to request a chaperone which we will provide for you.
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.
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Some of our Success Stories
After having my second child in September 2017 I decided to book in to see Emily Elgar, specialist women’s health physiotherapist at Katie Bell Physiotherapy and Wellness.
I wanted to return to a moderate level of fitness (be able to run 10km again), make sure that I would not cause any further or lasting damage and ensure I wasn’t returning to activity too soon post baby.
I had a good pregnancy and labour but once again tore internal muscles when giving birth to my second baby, just like my first and I felt that my stomach muscles were weak too.
Emily was lovely and made me feel comfortable straight away. Its not easy talking to someone else about your private areas but Emily made it very easy. We talked through my pregnancy, birth and post birth problems, Emily covered all areas. Emily was able to feel my stomach muscles to assess how much they had torn through my pregnancy and also provide me with exercises and advice to ensure they were healing well and I wasn’t causing any further damage. Emily also carried out a internal examination to assess how strong my pelvic floor muscles were, how well they were healing post baby and how to increase my pelvic floor strength to ensure I was able to return to running, jumping etc.
I have completed 24 weeks of Pilates classes with Emily. Even though I was in a class environment (no more than 10 in a class) Emily always made sure I was working at the appropriate level and caring out the exercises properly.
I also saw Emily 1:1 for a few sessions to track my progress and provide me with specific exercises to help me improve my strength in my pelvic floor, abdominals and hips.
I am very happy with how far I have come. It’s scary how much strength and tone you lose when you have a baby and it was important to me to return to sport as its something I enjoy. I have now returned to running and currently increased my distance to 7km only 7 months post birth. I’m working up to my 10km goal. At 5 months I started lifting weights again at the gym and feel much stronger during my Pilates classes. Im very happy with the progress I have made and feel that I am continuing to get stronger week on week. Even though I am a mum of two, its important to make some time for yourself and still set personal goals.
Katie NEver since i had my children (over 21 years ago!) I have struggled with incontinence and a prolapsed. I had a hysterectomy in 2015 but things were still not right.
The experience has been brilliant. Not only have you helped me with my physical symptoms, but you also listened and understood what I was going through.
I haven’t needed to wear anything to protect from little accidents’ for ages. I feel much more in control, younger even, and I am more confident about not being near a loo, which is liberating.
Jo S