Sportswise has recently welcomed physiotherapist Jo Aston back to the team. Jo worked with us five years ago and has now returned to deliver a specialist pelvic health physiotherapy service. Jo is hugely passionate about this area of physiotherapy and is offering two clinics a week.
Did you know up to a third of women will suffer with a pelvic floor issue in their lifetime?
The most common issues are leaking (bladder or bowels) and pelvic organ prolapse. Men can also be affected by pelvic floor dysfunctions leading to pain, incontinence or erectile dysfunction.
Pelvic health physiotherapy is aimed at any individual who is suffering with a range of symptoms linked to the pelvic floor muscle or pelvis. These health issues can be embarrassing and are often not openly talked about. This can lead to distressing symptoms, which can have a real impact on quality of life.
Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction is often at the core of many of these problems. A well-functioning pelvic floor will give us pelvic organ support, keep us continent and have an important role in sexual function. Either weakness or tension in these muscles can lead to distressing symptoms, so targeting the pelvic floor is one of the first lines of management.
These are the conditions Jo can assess and help manage:
Stress urinary incontinence: Leaking urine during a run, cough or sneeze
Urinary frequency, urgency and urge incontinence: The feeling of needing to empty the bladder frequently and/or rush to get to the toilet in time, often accompanied with loss of control of urine
Faecal/flatus incontinence and urgency: The loss of control of bowels and/or wind
Obstructive defecation: Difficulty emptying the bowels
Pelvic pain/vulval pain/dyspareunia (pain with sexual intercourse)
Perineal trauma: Injury to the pelvic floor from childbirth
Pelvic organ prolapse: Anterior or posterior vaginal wall and uterine decent
Pregnancy and postnatal related musculoskeletal conditions: Pelvic girdle pain, back pain, coccyx pain, hip pain, rib pain and carpal tunnel syndrome
Mens health: Bladder and bowel care pre and post prostate surgery, pelvic floor training for erectile dysfunction, bowel care following bowel surgery and pelvic pain
Jo also offers a postnatal mum check. This appointment is designed for any mum – whether you delivered six weeks ago or six years ago! Many new mums are left feeling in the dark about their bodies in the postnatal period and this check is designed to empower and educate you on the recovery process following pregnancy and childbirth. Whether you had a vaginal delivery or caesarean section and whether you have specific symptoms or are making a good recovery, this appointment is vital for every woman. By understanding your recovery you can maximize your postnatal potential and reduce the risk of any long-term pelvic floor problems. This appointment can be made anytime from six weeks post-delivery.
Jo is always happy to have a quick chat if you want any further information or you can read more about what takes place in an appointment on our website. You can also follow her on facebook or instagram
We will be hosting a Pelvic Floor Education evening with Jo in the autumn, so keep watching Sportswise social media for dates as well as more interesting articles coming up in our newsletters.