Pelvic health physiotherapy

Our team specialises in treating patients presenting with a variety of pelvic problems.

All patients need to be referred by a health care provider (GP, Consultant or Midwife) as we are unable to accept self-referrals. We assess patients with a wide variety of pelvic issues including those with:

Bladder incontinence
Bowel incontinence
Constipation
Pelvic organ prolapse
Pain with sex/intercourse
Pelvic pain
Post-natal pelvic floor problems
Ante-natal and post-natal
Pelvic girdle pain
Back pain
Stomach muscle separation (diastasis rectus abdominus).

The team liaise with other healthcare professionals including GPs, consultants, midwives, continence advisors and other physiotherapists.

Treatment is always individualised and is in accordance with current guidelines from the professional network group, Pelvic Obstetric Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP), NICE and The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

What does your pelvic health physiotherapy assessment involve?

For most of our patients your first appointment will be a detailed telephone assessment with one of our specialised pelvic health physiotherapy team. During this assessment we will ask about your symptoms, when and how they started, what may aggravate or ease them and any treatments or strategies you have already tried. We may also ask you about any relevant hospital tests, investigations, as well as your general health and lifestyle such as work, sports or hobbies. This helps us to make an accurate diagnosis to guide advice and treatment and ensures any goals set are individual to you.

For many of us, the thought of talking about the pelvic area of your body or topics that are personal, and intimate may be very daunting. We are sensitive to this and will do our upmost to put you at ease. If you attend a clinic appointment, assessments are carried out in a private area so any discussions should not be overheard.

Face to face clinics

Face to face clinics are run at Malton, Selby and York hospitals.

Pelvic health physiotherapy if you are pregnant

Pelvic health physiotherapy if you are pregnant and have back and/or pelvic pain

Approximately 50% of ladies experience back pain and pain in the back of their pelvis during pregnancy. Around 20% may develop pelvic pain in pregnancy in the pubic bone, buttocks/and or tailbone.

Advice and exercises can help reduce these symptoms and the team provide a one off on-line group ante-natal back/pelvic pain session. This session aims to provide advice and exercises to help you manage these symptoms during your pregnancy. Please discuss this with your midwife or GP if you would like to be referred to our service if you are experiencing these symptoms.

Online videos for antenatal back and pelvic pain

Together with the on-line group, the videos in the vimeo link in the heading provide advice and gentle exercises that may help prevent or improve pregnancy related back/pelvic pain. If you have been advised not to exercise by a health care professional, please seek advice before starting. If you have any concerns about your own or baby’s health, please also consult your midwife/GP or consultant before exercising.

Pelvic Health Physiotherapy if you are pregnant and have been referred by your midwife or doctor with bladder symptoms

We also have an online group class for pregnant ladies with bladder symptoms, such as stress incontinence.

It is important that if you are experiencing bladder problems during your pregnancy, that you are first assessed by your midwife or doctor, to check for other causes such as a urine infection.

Together with the group session, the following links may be useful.

Useful information and booklets

Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy booklets
Pelvic health and wellbeing during pregnancy and after birth (Online tips, advice, and information in multiple languages)