Women's Health
There are certain health problems that specifically affect women at different times in their lives and require specialist physiotherapy.
Bladder "weakness"
A weak bladder is something many women feel they have to live with and are too embarrassed to discuss with anyone. It's very common and statistics show that 1 in 3 women are affected at some point in their lives. If you think about that it means quite a few of your friends will be suffering in silence. The problem bladder leakage won't improve without action and can get worse as we get older.
Some women don't seek help as they think that only treatment is surgery. In fact there are many treatments available depending on the type and severity of your bladder problem. The correct types of exercise and advice can either cure or greatly improve incontinence. We know that pelvic floor exercises can help, but they are more effective if they are 'tailor made' for the individual. Just as an athlete would need different exercises to a weekend 'fun runner', the same applies to pelvic floor muscles. Follow the links to Bladder Problems for further information
Post natal
A woman's body undergoes great changes both during and after childbirth. In the antenatal period it is very common to suffer with back pain. After your baby is born a graded Pilates based exercise programme will help you to re-gain your abdominal tone and protect your back from strain. You also need to understand how to re-educate your pelvic floor muscles to prevent any problems with bladder and bowel control from developing.
Hysterectomy and Prolapse
It is vital to re-educate the muscles around the pelvis after surgery. Many women return to work and general exercise without fully re-educating these muscle groups and go on to suffer with low back pain and bladder problems. Symptoms associated with prolapse of the bladder or bowel can be eased significantly by correct pelvic floor rehabilitation and lifestyle changes