Women’s Health Physiotherapy at Life Ready Yokine and Inglewood

We welcome all mums with babies aged four weeks to six months to join small group exercise classes at our Yokine clinic. Our physiotherapists with special interests in postpartum recovery will guide you through a fun, postpartum safe program using a combination of strength and Pilates-focused exercises. All Mums require a postnatal physio check prior to commencing the group classes.

Many women can have pelvic floor muscle weakness. It is more common in women as pregnancy, childbirth and menopause can all weaken the pelvic floor muscles. Our physiotherapists can assess your pelvic floor muscle strength and give you a tailored exercise program to get these important muscles functioning at their best.

Abdominal muscles are an important part of your core strength, and this can help prevent back pain and improve appearance. Women after pregnancy and abdominal surgery benefit from guided exercise programs to regain strength in all the layers of the abdominal muscles.

Did you know that 37% of women can be affected by urinary incontinence, but the majority of these people do not seek help for it? This common and embarrassing condition can be successfully treated by a specialist physiotherapist.

The symptoms of an overactive bladder include needing to pass urine frequently and urgently. This can also result in urinary leakage when you ‘don’t make it’ on time. Overactive bladder symptoms also respond very well to physiotherapy treatment.

Prolapse is a very common condition especially in women who have had children. The symptoms can include ‘heaviness’ in the vagina, feeling or seeing a lump or bulge in the vagina. Prolapse can be managed by identifying daily activities that increase abdominal pressure, strengthening the pelvic floor muscles and trials of vaginal support pessaries if indicated.

Dyspareunia (painful sexual intercourse) can have many causes including overactive/tight pelvic floor muscles, scar tissue after vaginal childbirth and hormonal changes through your different life phases. Your specialist women’s health physiotherapist can assess and treat the factors causing your pain and work with you to improve your sexual function.

Conditions in which sufferers have moderate to severe pain and or spasms in the vulval/vaginal area. A specialist women’s health physiotherapist can help by carrying out a thorough assessment and working with you to manage and treat your problems.

Bowel incontinence is estimated to affect 5-10% of the population. A pelvic health physiotherapist can analyse your diet, stool type and assess your anus and pelvic floor muscles to determine what is contributing to the incontinence. Pelvic floor and anus muscle rehabilitation can improve your ability to control faecal urgency and manage anal leakage.

Constipation is a very common problem and is one of the main factors contributing to pelvic floor weakness and prolapse. Many factors can improve bowel habits, including improving dietary fibre and fluid intake, obeying the urge to defecate and making sure that the pelvic floor and anus muscles relax during defecation. A relaxed defecatory habit also improves anal fissures and haemorrhoids.

Physiotherapists use therapeutic ultrasound treatment for blocked milk ducts and mastitis in breastfeeding mothers. Treatment can help to resolve the inflammation and swelling and reduce the pain quickly.

Some breastfeeding mothers experience grazed or cracked nipples and we offer Low Level Laser Therapy to help improve the healing time of the injured nipple. Working with a lactation consultant to improve baby attachment to the breast is important for nipple pain resolution.

Women who need surgery such as hysterectomy, endometriosis removal or vaginal prolapse repair can benefit from preoperative and postoperative physiotherapy. An experienced physiotherapist can help improve your recovery experience and prevent any postop complications.

A specialised women’s health physiotherapist can help you prepare for birth, be it a caesarean or vaginal delivery. Pelvic floor muscle exercises can improve vaginal birth outcomes. Maintaining exercise including strength training can minimise pelvic girdle pain issues and help with postpartum recovery.

SRC pregnancy shorts and leggings are an effective, non-pharmacological option for prevention and management of pain during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Our physiotherapists can measure, fit and order these for you which are then delivered to your door.