Pelvic health and assessment
Many women will experience pelvic health pain due to weakened pelvic floor muscles, which can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction, but pelvic floor issues can also be caused by muscles which are overactive and find it hard to relax or ‘switch off’.
What to look out for:
Pelvic pain symptoms can vary between women but the most common symptoms that are often noticed are:
Pain or discomfort internally or externally in the pelvis
Difficulty inserting a tampon
Pain on intercourse
Vaginismus (involuntary tensing of the vagina)/Vulvodynia (long lasting pain in the vulva)
Pelvic organ prolapse
Reduced control of your bladder or bowel
Hip, lower back or groin pain
Reasons why pelvic floor dysfunction can occur
Pelvic floor dysfunction can arise from prolapse, pregnancy and birth, menopause and various gynaecological surgeries such as caesarian section, hysterectomy, prolapse surgery and surgery for endometriosis.
My role as a women’s health practitioner is to help you to rehab your pelvic floor and to regain control and connection of your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles.
I work with my clients on a deeply holistic basis and can offer both external pelvic floor assessments and also internal pelvic floor health and muscle contraction/assessment.
What to expect from a pelvic floor/health assessment
If you are booking in for either a postpartum new Mum assessment or a general pelvic health assessment, Purebody by Adele offers a specialist 75 minute examination with follow-up sessions to help to strengthen and future proof your body. The assessment is suitable for women who have had children at some point in their life either vaginally or by C-Section. However, if you have not had a baby you can still experience pelvic floor problems and these can arise from prolapse, surgery or menopause and the assessment is therefore beneficial for anyone experiencing pelvic floor issues.
Once registered you will have a series of checks which will be related to either your postpartum status or other physical requirement, and questions will be asked to get a better understanding of how pregnancy/birth/surgery may have had an effect on your body.
The checks performed will include an examination of your abdomen and tummy muscles, your posture, breathing and your pelvic floor. We also asses back pain, groin and hip pain.
It is common to experience a separation of your abdominal muscles during pregnancy and birth, also known as Diastasis rectus Abdominus or DRA and sometimes the muscles in your stomach may dome due to a weakness in this area. This is also assessed during the initial session.
An internal pelvic floor assessment is offered to all women who book in for the pelvic health assessment, but it is not obligatory and therefore please do not feel that this examination has to be done.
Once the strength of your pelvic floor has been assessed and whether or not you have a gap in between your tummy muscles, we will discuss a rehab and treatment programme of exercises which will be bespoke to your needs.
Who provides the assessment?
At Purebody by Adele, it’s myself, Adele, who will be providing both the external and internal assessment. If you wish to book an internal pelvic health examination to assess the strength and function of your pelvic floor, please book in via the following website link, as I work alongside a physiotherapist in a physio clinic.
If you do not wish to have an internal assessment please contact Adele to discuss a suitable time/day to discuss your needs and for a health assessment form to be sent to you in advance of our first session.