Women’s Health Physiotherapy Explained: What Do Women’s Health Physios Do?

Women’s health physiotherapy refers to the non-surgical treatment of deformities, injuries, or diseases through specialized massage, heat treatment, exercise, and education. The practice empowers patients to learn better habits and avoid exacerbating or worsening painful conditions, and physiotherapy improves the patient’s quality of life.

Pregnant women, persons living with a disability or chronic injury, and healthy individuals stand to benefit from physiotherapy. Physiotherapists specialized in women’s health can provide you with patient-specific advice that will better or encourage exercise, improve flexibility, and help you better manage pains, aches, and anxiety that may stem from your current state of health.

What should you expect during your first appointment? What are the benefits of women’s health physiotherapy? And is women’s health physiotherapy worth it? Below is everything you need to know and how to begin your journey for better health.

Begin your journey to better health through women’s physiotherapy here.

Contents

Women’s health physiotherapy explained: What do women’s health physios do?

Women’s health physiotherapy: What do women’s physiotherapists do?

What does a physiotherapist do?

What do women’s health physiotherapists do?

Women’s health physiotherapy: What are the benefits of women’s physiotherapy?

How do women’s health physiotherapists fix underactive and overactive muscles?

How do women’s physiotherapists fix muscle imbalance?

Women’s health physiotherapy: Is pelvic physiotherapy worth it?

The benefits of pelvic floor physiotherapy include:

Why does it hurt every time I have intercourse?

Women’s health physiotherapy: What is the best medicine for dyspareunia?

Is physiotherapy good for dyspareunia?

Should you see a women’s health physiotherapist when pregnant?

When should a pregnant woman start physiotherapy?

Women’s Health Physiotherapy: What Do Women’s Physiotherapists Do?

Physiotherapy is a branch of medicine whose focus is the non-surgical treatment of injury, pain, discomfort, posture, illness, and disability. The practice is also preventative in that it teaches the patient lifestyle habits which reduce the risk of injury or actions which may cause flare-ups of discomfort.

What Does a Physiotherapist Do?

Depending on your state of health, physiotherapists may employ treatment methods including:

• Soft tissue mobilization – referring to hands-on techniques designed to improve fascia, ligament and muscle function. The focus is on breaking muscle adhesion and pain relief for damaged or injured soft tissue.
• Muscle re-education. An injury or disease may cause muscle dysfunction. The purpose of muscle re-education is to restore or improve muscle function.
• Breathing exercises and posture. Having full control of breath can improve gut health, relieve pain, increase energy, lower blood pressure, and help support posture – improving the patient’s quality of life. It is estimated that over half of the Australian population does not practice proper breathing, meaning it is in your best interest to start today, regardless of your state of health.
• Therapeutic exercise. After or during injury or illness, one needs specialized exercise routines that do not exacerbate the injury, cause discomfort, or interfere with treatment. Physiotherapists craft patient-specific therapeutic exercises designed to get you back on your feet in the shortest time possible.
• Hydrotherapy. Involves the use of water and helps to relax muscles, relieve pain, and aid injury or illness recovery.
• Modalities. A physiotherapist may employ the use of light energies such as electromagnetic, mechanical, or thermal energies to relieve pain.

A vital benefit of beginning physiotherapy today is you will get education on what practices or exercises best suit your current state of health. Without direction from a professional, one may curse further damage and increased pain.

All that may happen because of a poor or improper technique, use of excessive or inadequate force, and overextension of joints or limbs.

What Do Women’s Health Physiotherapists Do?

Women’s health physiotherapy focuses on treating over 150 ailments and conditions that affect women.

The practice is useful or necessary for women undergoing or living with conditions including:

• Pelvic floor issues, including pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic inflammatory illnesses, pelvic floor dysfunction, pregnancy changes, pelvic congestion syndrome and all conditions related to the pelvis.
• Gastrointestinal issues and eating disorders.
• Pregnancy. Physiotherapy can help ease back pain for pregnant women, reduce incontinence, and aid normal or delayed labor.
• Pain and injury management.
• Gastrointestinal issues, including constipation.

Women’s Health Physiotherapy: What Are the Benefits of Women’s Physiotherapy?

Women’s physiotherapy goal is to improve the patient’s quality of life. Consequently, treatment begins with the identification of what ails the patient. There are a wide variety of ailments and conditions that are unique to women, meaning there exists a need to get specialized treatment.

What to expect during your first meeting with a women’s physiotherapist.

After booking an appointment here. What will happen is:

• A trained women’s physiotherapist will take a detailed and confidential history.
• Physical examination. Depending on the condition or ailment, the examination could be of the whole body or targeted at specific areas such as the spine, pelvis, abdomen and so on.
• A physiotherapist may use finger palpation to identify scarring, tenderness, pain areas,and sensitivity.
• Strength and endurance testing.

The findings of the actions above determine the appropriate treatment, and everything you say is kept between you and your physiotherapists. Meaning there is no reason to fear speaking about an issue that ails you.

When Should I See a Women’s Physiotherapist?

It is recommended that one sees a physiotherapist if:

• A doctor or physician recommends it.
• If you are pregnant.
• If you experience chronic pain – referring to pain which persists for more than 15 days in a month. Chronic pain could be persistent or reoccurring.
• After injury.
• If the pain does not react to medication or home treatment.

That said. Women’s physiotherapy will benefit you in the following ways.

How Do Women’s Health Physiotherapists Fix Underactive and Overactive Muscles?

Muscle imbalance is a consequence of poor posture, stress, injury, repetitive movement, or other factors. That implies that we are all at risk. You know that you have underactive or overactive muscles if you exhibit symptoms including:

• Differences in strength and flexibility on one side of the body or limbs.
• You have poor posture. Symptoms of poor posture include headaches, muscle fatigue, back pain, leaning head, potbelly or rounded shoulders.
• Unexplained pain -not connected to a specific injury.

Poor training techniques targeting specific muscle groups may increase the risk.

How Do Women’s Physiotherapists Fix Muscle Imbalance?

Muscle imbalance may occur in the pelvic region leading to pain. If you experience pelvic pain, physiotherapy can help you in the following ways.

Women’s Health Physiotherapy: Is Pelvic Physiotherapy Worth It?

Pelvic dysfunction may cause symptoms including stool or urine leakage, frequent need to pee, strain when defecating, constipation, or other issues.

Pelvic floor physiotherapy’s focus is on the lower back, pelvic floor muscles, abdomen, and pelvis. Treatment requires specialized care because the damage varies from individual to individual. Meaning, it is ill-advised to practice pelvic floor physiotherapy without the aid or guidance of a trained professional.

Pelvic floor physio is worth it because it can prevent and manage said symptoms.

The Benefits of Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Include:

• Pain relief. A targeted approach sometimes coupled with pain medication, can help relieve or prevent pelvic pain, abdominal pain, pregnancy pain, and pain caused by intimacy.
• Incontinence relief. By “balancing” pelvic muscles, physiotherapy can help prevent or relieve stool leakage. Physio also reduces stool urgency and frequency.

What Does Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Include?

Pelvic floor therapy, includes a mix of exercises and stretches designed to strengthen pelvic muscles.

Signs You Need Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy.

If you have suffered an injury on the tailbone, back, hip, or buttocks, your risk of developing pelvic floor issues is elevated, meaning you should consider seeing a physiotherapist. You should also contact a physiotherapist here if you exhibit symptoms including:

• Lose control of your bladder or pee a little when you laugh, lift, run, or are scared.
• Experience pain during sex. The pain may be persistent, or it may come and go.

It is also advisable to see a physiotherapist during and after pregnancy.

Why Does it Hurt Every Time I Have Intercourse?

Dyspareunia referring to persistent or recurring genital pain, is a condition that may result from infection, injury, or overactive pelvic muscles. If you experience pain during intercourse, it is advisable to consult with a physician to establish if the cause is disease or damage related.

Physiotherapy offers relief for these conditions:

(1) It reduces muscle overactivity

(2) Helps manage pain and inflammation

(3) Helps the patient become aware of the condition and what she must do to correct it

(4) Can help patients practice safe penetration techniques.

Women’s Health Physiotherapy: What Is the Best Medicine for Dyspareunia?

If the condition is disease or STD related, identifying the underlying illness is necessary before physiotherapy begins. That way, one may avoid exacerbating the situation. Conducting pelvic floor physiotherapy on your own is problematic in that if you do not understand the cause of dyspareunia, you worsen the pain or spread infection.

Physiotherapy treatment for dyspareunia includes:

• Soft tissue mobilization. Must be targeted to normalize overactive muscles, improve circulation in the pelvic region, desensitize sensitive areas, and repair damaged muscle and soft tissue.

Pelvic floor education is necessary. However, at home you may improve pelvic health through physiotherapy as explained below:

• Avoid repetitive contractions that may increase muscle tension. The consequence could be increased pain. Recommend following physiotherapist instructions or recommended pelvic exercises.
• Focus your efforts on relaxing the pelvic floor and improving breathing and posture.
• If you notice changes or if the pain worsens, it is in your best medical interest to consult with a physiotherapist.

Is Physiotherapy Good for Dyspareunia?

Medical and anecdotal evidence suggest that trigger point release -referring to soft tissue treatment designed for tension in muscles and connective tissues, and manual therapy -are of benefit to persons living with dyspareunia. The majority of patients report improvement in function and pain relief or rather a reduced need to consume pain relievers.

Should You See a Women’s Health Physiotherapist When Pregnant?

Pregnancy is both a happy and stressful period that will cause mood changes, lower back pain, leg pain, and gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, heartburn, and nausea, and pregnancy can stress the pelvic floor.

Add to that weight gain, and the reasons why you need physiotherapy during and after pregnancy become self-explanatory.

When Should a Pregnant Woman Start Physiotherapy?

It is recommended that pregnant women begin physical therapy during the second trimester of pregnancy. Why?

• Hormonal changes will cause supporting ligaments to become stretchy and soft during and after pregnancy. Women’s health physiotherapy helps to strengthen muscles and soft tissue that result.
• Back pain and discomfort may reduce your quality of life during and after pregnancy. Strengthening exercises and stretches can prevent and relieve pregnancy pain, lessening the need for painkillers.

Is Pelvic Physiotherapy Safe During Pregnancy?

It depends on how you conduct the exercises. If under instruction from an experienced women’s health physiotherapist, the possibility of damage or exacerbation is minimal.

What Does Women’s Health Physiotherapy Do for Pregnancy?

The benefits of undergoing physiotherapy while pregnant include respiration and circulation improvement, improvement, or increased mobility, and strengthening the musculature. Physiotherapy also helps prevent or alleviate pregnancy-related pain.

In short, women’s health physiotherapy during pregnancy will benefit you in the following ways:

• Pelvic floor physiotherapy can help manage or prevent urinary incontinence caused by pelvic floor weakness.
• Pressure relief. The added weight may cause continuous strain on the nerves causing numbness, tingling limbs, back pain, and weakness. By relieving pressure and improving circulation, physiotherapy can help manage or prevent said symptoms.
• Low back pain relief.

Physiotherapy is also useful in the management and prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Begin your journey to better health through women’s physiotherapy here.