Evolving Bellies

Time to get up close and personal with your bits!

One of the ways I get patients to self assess at home is simply to self observe.

This is handy as it can be done in the comfort of your own home, in your own time.

Lie on a bed propped up by a few pillows, let your knees fall out to the side and use a hand held mirror to observe your perineum.

Where is it sitting? Can you see if pull inwards when you do a pelvic floor contraction? How long can you hold it in that position? When you bear down, can you see your perineum bulge away from your body slightly or does it not move at all?

This is a really easy biofeedback tool that I use in the clinic to assess the mobility and function of the pelvic floor in my patients and it can give us LOADS of information to inform treatment.

So if you’re not sure you’re contracting correctly, simply take a peek!!

Feeling a heaviness in your va**na that you’ve never noticed before?

It could be due to low oestrogen levels.

Low oestrogen is very common post birth, particularly in the breastfeeding mother and during perimenopause and menopause. These low levels can create a thinning and drying out of the va**nal walls which can make them become quite a bit floppier than usual - as a result leading to sensations of a bulge or heaviness down below.

A simple topical oestrogen inserted into the va**na can make a world of difference to those symptoms, so next time you see your women’s health physio or GP, don’t be afraid to raise this!

Suspended gym ball analogy 💥

Gym ball = pelvic organs
Elastics = fascia
Hands = pelvic floor muscles

I use this analogy all the time to help patients to better understand the connection between the pelvic organs, muscles and fascia and how they each interact with one another.

Let me know if you found this helpful by leaving a comment below 👇

POP-Q stick!

Another handy tool in my arsenal. When taking measurements in an EXTERNAL va**nal exam, the POP-Q stick:

✨ Is used to take measurements of your pelvic floor
✨ Can help to identify risk of 3rd of 4th degree tear during labour
✨ Can identify ‘large levator hiatus’ aka a risk factor for prolapse in the future

Keep in mind, these measurements are then used to help guide treatment!

For example, if your perineal body length is a little short in the lead up to childbirth, we can teach perineal massage, down training exercises, internal pelvic floor release, breathwork and appropriate bearing down techniques.
If your pelvic floor length is on the longer side, we address tone and weakness with individualised pelvic floor strengthening programs.

These are numbers that CAN BE CHANGED and are simply there to assist in getting you the best treatment strategy.

**nalexam

Mini anatomy tutorial - just a quick one, with the models I use in clinic.

Any questions, send me a message!

Girl…. If you haven’t invested in a foot stool for your bathroom yet, it’s time.

Whether you suffer from constipation, are trying to avoid hemorrhoids during pregnancy, scared to open your bowels after childbirth, find yourself straining or struggle to relax your pelvic floor, a foot stool is a game changer.

Having your knees elevated and your pelvis tilted allows for un-kinking of the anorectal canal which makes defecation SO MUCH EASIER.

I’ll explain more in a future video so it makes more sense, but for now, just trust me. No matter what, in my opinion, every girl should have one of these!

TRIGGER WARNING: This video discusses sexual assault, domestic violence and trauma-related pelvic pain. Please skip this video if this topic feels unsafe or distressing for you today. 🤍

I wanted to speak about something today that I see quite frequently in clinic, but that many women still feel very alone in experiencing.

As a women’s health physiotherapist, I often work with patients who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence, birth trauma, or other traumatic experiences involving their bodies.

One of the things many people don’t realise is that trauma can have a very real physical impact on the pelvic floor and the nervous system.

Our bodies are incredibly protective. And sometimes after trauma, the pelvic floor muscles can remain in a constant state of tension or guarding — what we call a high-tone or overactive pelvic floor.

This can contribute to symptoms such as:

* pain with in*******se
* pain with tampon use or pelvic examinations
* pelvic pain
* difficulty relaxing the pelvic floor
* feelings of tightness, burning, or discomfort
* bladder or bowel symptoms
* and sometimes even persistent pain long after the original trauma has occurred.

I think it’s really important for women to know that these symptoms are real, they are valid, and they are not “just in your head.”

Pelvic health physiotherapy can provide a really safe, supportive and trauma-informed space to talk about these experiences — at your own pace, and only if and when you feel comfortable.

Treatment is never about forcing anything or retraumatising someone. It’s about helping patients reconnect with their bodies safely, gently calming the nervous system, and working together to restore trust, relaxation and function within the pelvic floor.

*******se

PELVIC FLOOR WAND

This tool can be used for SO MANY things.
I often teach patients how to use it so that they can self-treat their tight muscles or sore spots at home.

The wand mimics a practitioners finger and is tapered at the neck to make it more comfy at the va**nal opening.

Using this wand can help to increase blood flow, stretch tight muscles and can even be used as a feedback tool for pelvic floor activation.

It can be useful for the following conditions:
- Painful in*******se
- Vaginismus
- Perineal massage
- Tailbone pain
And so much more!

Think this tool could help you? Send me a DM to find out more or leave a comment below.

*******se