Physiotherapy is an allied health service that provides inpatient and outpatient care for patients of the Women’s.
Our physiotherapists have specialist knowledge of women’s health through all stages of the life cycle from newborns to adolescents, through the childbearing years to older women’s health and during cancer treatment.
Physiotherapy treatment focuses on maintaining and restoring normal function, minimising dysfunction, preventing disability and improving quality of life.
Specialities
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, including incontinence and prolapse
- Musculoskeletal pain in the childbearing years
- Sexual dysfunction, including dyspareunia, vaginismus, post-radiation care
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Vulval conditions, including vulvodynia or vaginismus
- Newborn conditions, including positional talipes, plagiocephaly, torticollis, brachial plexus palsy
- Exercise therapy
- Diabetes during pregnancy
- Women’s cancers, including breast and gynaecological
- Bowel disorders including constipation and incontinence
Clinical inclusion
- All inpatients and outpatients of the hospital, with physiotherapy conditions related to women’s health
- Women reporting pregnancy-related musculoskeletal pain must be delivering at the Women’s to be eligible for assessment and treatment
Frequency
The Physiotherapy department is open from 8:00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.
8:00am to 12:00pm Saturday (ward cover only).
On-call service provided on weekends and public holidays.
Referral
Please note:
- Internal referral from other services at the Women's only – we do not accept referrals for patients who are not currently patients of the Women's i.e. from GPs.
- Outpatient appointments require a valid internal referral from a Women’s hospital department.
- Referrals are valid for 12 months.
Appointments
Patients will be notified of appointment details by letter or phone call. Confirmation texts are sent in the days before an outpatient appointment.
Downloads and Related Topics
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Normal bowel function
The pelvic floor is made up of a network of muscles and nerves which control both bladder and bowel function. Good bowel habits help to protect these muscles and minimise the risk of both bladder and bowel incontinence. This fact sheet is now called Preventing constipation.
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Abdominal muscle separation
Abdominal muscle separation (diastasis) happens when the long muscles in your abdomen stretch and move apart during pregnancy.
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Emptying your bladder after you have a baby
After birth, you may have trouble emptying your bladder. If urine builds up, it’s called urinary retention. This fact sheet explains how to prevent it and keep your bladder healthy.
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Improving your recovery after birth – physiotherapy advice
After you have given birth we recommend that you follow some simple steps which will improve your postnatal recovery.
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Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain
Pelvic girdle pain is pain in the pelvic joints that may develop during or after pregnancy.
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Pregnancy-related carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the hands. This fact sheet helps you manage your symptoms and provides tips for breastfeeding.
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Pelvic floor exercises
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that support your bladder, uterus (womb), and bowel. Exercising these muscles every day helps keep them strong and prevents weakness.
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Positional talipes
Positional talipes is a common condition which can affect one or both of your baby’s feet. The cause is largely unknown; it is thought to be due to the position of the baby in the womb.
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Physiotherapy advice - how to avoid lifting and straining
Your doctor has recommended you avoid lifting for medical reasons. This can be difficult if you have small children to look after, but it is possible. The key to managing your lifting restrictions is to plan ahead. You need to re-think all of the types of lifting you do, even those that seem normal or routine.
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After your operation - information to help you recover
Moving after surgery can lower your risk of chest infections and blood clots. Learn simple steps to support your recovery.
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Bladder training
Bladder training helps restore normal bladder function and can reduce bladder problems.
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Lymphoedema
Lymphoedema is a condition characterised by a chronic swelling (oedema) which occurs when there is a build up of lymphatic fluid in the body’s tissues. The condition usually affects the legs and or the arms but can also occur in other areas of the body.
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Perineal tears - recovering from a third or fourth degree tear
Sometimes during a vaginal birth, the area between the vagina and the anus may tear. In more severe cases, the tear can extend into the muscle and skin of the anus. This fact sheet explains the steps you can take to help you recover from a third or fourth degree tear.
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