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The pelvis contains many vital organs including the bladder, bowel and uterus; and fulfils many important functions such as defecation, bladder storage and emptying, childbirth and sexual intercourse. When these functions are disrupted, it has a significant impact on our daily lives. The physiotherapists at Subiaco Women’s Health are experienced in the assessment and management of bladder and bowel dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain and pain with sexual intercourse and are here to help you get back in control of your body.
We understand that seeking treatment for pelvic health issues can be overwhelming, to find out more about Subiaco Women’s Health, how we work and what to expect from your consultation, please see 'Our Approach'. The list below is not exhaustive, please do not hesitate to contact us about any other pelvic health concerns.
Incontinence is the accidental or involuntary loss of urine from the bladder (urinary incontinence), or bowel motion (faeces) or wind (flatus or flatulence) from the bowel (faecal or bowel incontinence).
Different types of incontinence include:
There is compelling evidence that physiotherapy is effective and should be first-line treatment for incontinence. Treatment for bladder and bowel issues usually involves more than just pelvic floor muscle training. Other management strategies include:
Your bladder, bowel and uterus are all organs of your pelvis. Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when one or more of these organs bulges against, or sags down into the vagina, creating a bulge.
Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the supportive ligaments of the pelvis and pelvic floor muscles become stretched or too weak to hold the organs in the correct place. This stretching/weakening can occur with:
There is strong evidence for physiotherapy management of prolapse. Simple lifestyle changes can significantly improve the symptoms of prolapse and can prevent it from getting worse. Management may include:
Persistent pelvic pain can present as painful periods (dysmenorrhoea), pain with sexual intercourse (dyspareunia), vaginismus, coccyx pain (coccydynia), vulval pain (vulvodynia), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), endometriosis, bladder pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis, pudendal neuralgia and anal pain.
Up to one in five women between the age of 18-50 experience persistent pelvic pain.
‘Overactivity’ refers to pelvic floor muscles that are tense and do not relax or may contract when they should relax for example when urinating, defecating or during sexual intercourse.
75% of women who suffer from persistent pelvic pain have pelvic floor muscle tension which is likely contributing to their symptoms.
To assist with your pain management, you may learn how to ‘down train’ your pelvic floor muscles. Your physiotherapist will first teach you about your pelvic floor muscles and how to relax them. There are many ways in which your physiotherapist can teach you how to do this. Some examples are:
Persistent pelvic pain is often associated with bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction. As part of your management, we help you to address these issues.
Psychosocial factors (emotional, behavioural, cognitive responses) or predisposing factors (genetics, general health, past experiences) can contribute to the persistence of pain. Your physiotherapist may help you to address some of these factors in conjunction with other health professionals such as your GP and clinical psychologist.
At Subiaco Women’s Health we understand that everyone’s pain experience is different and requires an individualised approach. We want to empower you by helping you understand your pain and provide you with a toolkit so that you can manage your pain with confidence. Your physiotherapist will therefore take the time to get to know you as person, your pain experience and work with you to achieve your goals.
Did you know we also provide men’s pelvic health services?
Pelvic health issues can also occur for men and we can help! If you have a significant other who you think may benefit from seeing a pelvic health physiotherapist, please click here to be redirected to our Subiaco Men’s Health website to read more about our men’s health services and/or book an appointment.
Elyse graduated from Griffith University (QLD), with a Bachelor of Exercise Science and a Masters of Physiotherapy in 2015. Since then, Elyse has worked extensively as a Physiotherapist and a Clinical Pilates Instructor in a Sports and Women’s Health area in Melbourne and Perth.
Elyse has studied the Masters of Women’s, Men’s and Pelvic Health at Curtin University. Elyse is passionate about pelvic health, especially through pregnancy and the postnatal period. She has a keen interest in helping women return to exercise and sport after having a baby.
She also has a special interest in assessing and treating the pelvic and lower back pain. Elyse uses a combination of hands on therapy, education and exercise prescription to get the best possible outcome for her clients.
In her spare time, Elyse enjoys pilates, going to the gym, reading a good book on the beach and spending time with friends, family and two dogs.
Jess Graduated from Curtin University with a Bsc Physiotherapy. Since graduation she has worked
both in both maternity and rehabilitation settings in public health and private practise. Her
experience and interest are in assisting women during the antenatal and postnatal period. As a
mother of 3 she empathises with her clients and feels it is a great privilege to be able to work with
them on their own perinatal journey. She has undertaken further studies in pelvic health and also
works with the management of bladder and bowel dysfunction, pelvic pain and pelvic organ
prolapse.
Rebecca graduated from Curtin University with a Bachelor of Science (Physiotherapy) in 2018, and is a member of the Vice Chancellor’s list, which recognises students in the top 1% of their course for excellent academic achievement. Rebecca is currently in the process of completing her Masters in Clinical Physiotherapy (Continence and Pelvic Health Major), after developing a special interest in Women’s Health.
Rebecca has 5 years of clinical experience working as a Physiotherapist having worked at some of the most reputable clinics in Sydney. Rebecca is a certified Pilates clinician through the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute and is experienced in running clinical Pilates classes and prescribing individual therapeutic exercises based on each patient’s presentation. Rebecca is also competent in Dry Needling (certified by the Australian Physiotherapy Association), which she incorporates into her treatment as necessary.
Rebecca is passionate about helping women through the life stages achieve their goals by tailoring treatments to each individual and basing her management on the latest evidence and research. Rebecca is experienced in treating pregnancy-related musculoskeletal conditions such as lower back pain and pelvic girdle pain. She is also competent in providing physiotherapy services for pelvic floor conditions such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, sexual dysfunction and pelvic pain. Additionally, Rebecca will be able to assist patients manage inflammatory conditions of the breasts and rectus abdominus diastasis. Rebecca will be available for 6-week postnatal checks to address any pelvic floor concerns and help women return to exercise safely.
Outside of work, Rebecca enjoys dancing, practising Yoga and spending time with her family and friends.
Lucy has been practicing Women’s Physiotherapy for 17 years and has a strong sense of compassion for and gains enjoyment from helping women through all life stages.
Prior to Physiotherapy, Lucy studied Psychology and Human Movement and then worked in the fields of Health Promotion, Human Resource Management and Injury Management before returning to study Physiotherapy which she completed in 2003. Initially working as a Musculoskeletal Therapist as well as doing Exercise Rehab with Seniors, she was introduced to Women’s Health shortly after the birth of her first baby. Since then she has worked extensively in both inpatient and outpatient settings. In 2015 Lucy completed postgraduate courses in Women’s Health and she continues to actively participate in professional development. She has clinical experience treating a range of conditions including all antenatal and postnatal, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, sexual pain, and bladder and bowel conditions. Lucy loves helping women return to exercise after baby!
When relaxing Lucy enjoys playing floorball, running, extend barre and pilates, walking her dog, reading and spending time with her family and friends.
Kayla has completed the Master of Clinical Physiotherapy at Curtin University, specialising in Continence and Pelvic Health. She has over 10 years clinical experience and has worked in a range of settings across WA, Melbourne and the UK.
Throughout her career, Kayla has worked in a range of prestigious institutions, including the Royal Women’s Hospital, the Australian Prostate Centre, and the Australian Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine. These roles have provided her with a unique and diverse perspective on pelvic health, enabling her to treat a wide variety of conditions and offer tailored care for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
With a compassionate and patient-centred approach, Kayla strives to empower her patients to take an active role in their recovery. She is deeply passionate about helping individuals achieve optimal pelvic health, regain control over their bodies and achieve their health goals wherever they are in their journey. Her approach combines manual therapy, exercise rehabilitation and education to empower her patients and improve their quality of life.
Kayla provides both inpatient maternity care and outpatient pelvic health appointments. She has a strong clinical interest in, and is dedicated to providing evidence-based, compassionate care to patients with persistent pelvic pain, working closely with multidisciplinary teams to deliver holistic and individualised treatment plans. She also has sound experience in providing perinatal care, including return to exercise assessments, treatment for breastfeeding issues, rectus abdominus diastasis and musculoskeletal pain. Kayla also provides treatment for a range of men’s pelvic health conditions, particularly pre and post prostate cancer treatments.
Outside of work, Kayla enjoys eating out with family and friends, spending time at the beach and hiking in the great outdoors.
Anna is an APA Women’s, Men’s and Pelvic Health Physiotherapist. She has 11 years of clinical experience in physiotherapy and has completed her Masters in Clinical Physiotherapy at Curtin University, specialising in Continence and Women’s Health. She is passionate about providing a holistic, patient-centred, evidence-based approach with every client. She enjoys supporting women throughout their perinatal journey. She provides inpatient maternity care, outpatient appointments and antenatal and postnatal pool classes.
Anna is experienced in assessing and managing a variety of physical conditions, including: pregnancy-related back and pelvic girdle pain (including sacroiliac and sciatic pain, pubic symphysis dysfunction, tailbone pain), rectus abdominus diastasis, breastfeeding issues (such as cracked nipples, blocked ducts and mastitis), prolapse, lower urinary tract symptoms, anorectal symptoms (including faecal incontinence and constipation) and pelvic pain (including dyspareunia and persistent pelvic pain conditions). She is also experienced in treating men with lower urinary tract symptoms, particularly after treatment for prostate cancer.
Anna has recently returned to Subiaco Women’s Health after spending some time abroad. While away she enjoyed working at The Portland Hospital in London and had her first child. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Shauna is a Continence and Pelvic Health Physiotherapist who has completed her Masters in Continence and Pelvic Health Physiotherapy at Curtin University. She also holds an undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy and has additional training in dry needling.
Shauna has 7 years of experience in physiotherapy and has worked with women across antenatal, postnatal and maternity ward settings. She provides private physiotherapy consultations, clinical Pilates, hydrotherapy, and has taught both antenatal and postnatal Pilates classes. Shauna is passionate about supporting women throughout pregnancy and postpartum recovery, helping them return to exercise safely and confidently.
She treats pregnancy-related musculoskeletal conditions including sacroiliac joint pain, low back pain, sciatic pain, pubic symphysis dysfunction and coccyx pain. Shauna also manages rectus abdominis diastasis (abdominal separation), bladder and bowel dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, and rehabilitation following breast surgery.
Shauna also provides treatment for men’s pelvic health conditions, including pre- and post-prostatectomy rehabilitation, supporting recovery of pelvic floor function, continence and return to activity.
Shauna’s treatment approach is evidence-based, holistic and individualised. She is dedicated to helping people feel confident and comfortable at every stage of life, empowering her patients with knowledge and tailored treatment plans to achieve their goals.
Outside of work, Shauna enjoys being a mum of two, cooking, walking and making the most of family time.
Katie graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 2010 and has worked in both private practice and public settings. She is currently completing her post graduate Clinical Masters of Physiotherapy (Continence and Pelvic Health).
Katie has a background in both pelvic health and musculoskeletal physiotherapy, allowing her to apply a holistic approach to her clinical practice. Katie is a level 4 DMA clinical Pilates practitioner.
Katie is passionate about facilitating women to achieve their goals and remain active through all stages of life. She is experienced in managing incontinence, bladder and bowel dysfunction, prolapse, pelvic pain and pregnancy and post-natal pelvic health conditions.
Outside of work you will find her spending time with her two young children, running or reading a book.
Your initial assessment involves taking a comprehensive history to outline all factors contributing to your problem. Depending on your condition, our physiotherapist may recommend an internal vaginal or rectal examination for optimal assessment.
Download PDF BrochureIf you would like more information, please call today on (08) 9382 9600 and one of our physiotherapists will be happy to help you.
