PELVIC HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPY ESSEX
Compassionate, Expert Care for Pelvic Floor Conditions
Pelvic health physiotherapy focuses on addressing a wide range of conditions affecting the pelvis and its surrounding muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues.
Pelvic Health Physiotherapy is currently available at our Rayleigh Clinic.
Control. Stability. Confidence.
PELVIC HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPY ESSEX
Compassionate, Expert Care for Pelvic Floor Conditions
Pelvic health physiotherapy focuses on addressing a wide range of conditions affecting the pelvis and its surrounding muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues.
Pelvic Health Physiotherapy is currently
available at our Rayleigh Clinic.
Control. Stability. Confidence.
Who is Pelvic Health Physiotherapy For?
Whether you’re experiencing pelvic pain, incontinence, or pregnancy-related discomfort, our goal is to help you regain control, comfort, and confidence in your daily life.
Women and Men of All Ages:
From young adults to seniors, pelvic health issues can arise at any stage.
Pregnant or Postpartum Individuals:
Pregnancy and childbirth can weaken or strain pelvic floor muscles, leading to pain, instability, or incontinence.
Athletes & Active Lifestyles:
Those who engage in high-impact sports or heavy lifting may experience pelvic floor dysfunction.
Post-Surgical Patients:
Individuals recovering from prostatectomy or gynecological surgeries often benefit from specialised pelvic rehabilitation.
Anyone Experiencing Pelvic Discomfort:
Chronic pelvic pain, sexual pain, or unexplained urinary or bowel symptoms.
Common Symptoms & Conditions We Treat
Below are the top ten pelvic health issues we frequently address, helping you find the right solution sooner.
01
Urinary Incontinence (Stress & Urge)
Symptoms: Leakage when coughing, sneezing, laughing (stress incontinence), or sudden urgency to urinate (urge incontinence).
How Physiotherapy Helps: Through targeted pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strengthening, bladder retraining exercises, and biofeedback, we reduce leakage episodes, improve muscle coordination, and restore bladder control.
02
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Symptoms: A feeling of heaviness or bulging in the vagina, low back discomfort, difficulty with bowel movements.
How Physiotherapy Helps: PFMs can be retrained to provide better pelvic support. We teach you supportive exercises, lifestyle modifications, and use biofeedback to optimize muscle activation, reducing prolapse symptoms.
03
Pelvic Pain
Symptoms: Pain in the lower abdomen, perineum, or tailbone—often worsened by sitting, standing, or intercourse.
How Physiotherapy Helps: A holistic assessment pinpoints musculoskeletal contributors (e.g., tight pelvic floor, trigger points in hip/low back). Treatment includes muscle release techniques, relaxation training, and postural correction to ease pain.
04
Bowel Incontinence
Symptoms: Unintentional leakage of stool or difficulty controlling gas.
How Physiotherapy Helps: We work on strengthening the external and internal anal sphincters, retraining defecation habits, and implementing bowel retraining techniques to restore control and confidence.
05
Constipation & Bowel Dysfunction
Symptoms: Infrequent bowel movements, straining, incomplete evacuation.
How Physiotherapy Helps: Pelvic floor re-education teaches proper relaxation and coordination of abdominal and pelvic muscles during bowel movements. We also provide advice on dietary modifications and toileting posture.
06
Overactive Pelvic Floor (Hypertonicity)
Symptoms: A constant sensation of pelvic tightness, difficulty relaxing, pain with tampon insertion or intercourse, urinary urgency.
How Physiotherapy Helps: Relaxation techniques, manual therapy (internal and external muscle release), and breathing retraining help lengthen overactive muscles, reducing pressure and pain.
07
Pregnancy-Related Pelvic Girdle Pain
Symptoms: Sharp or dull pain around the front (pubic symphysis) or back (sacroiliac joints) of the pelvis, difficulty walking or turning in bed.
How Physiotherapy Helps: Gentle stabilisation exercises, posture correction, and hands-on mobilisations to relieve joint stress. We also advise on optimal sleeping and working positions to ease load on your pelvis.
08
Vulvodynia & Vaginismus (Female Sexual Pain)
Symptoms: Burning, stinging, or throbbing pain around the vulva (vulvodynia) and involuntary pelvic floor muscle spasms preventing penetration (vaginismus).
How Physiotherapy Helps: A sensitive, gradual approach to pelvic floor desensitisation, internal muscle release techniques, and graded exposure with dilator therapy (when appropriate) to reduce pain and restore comfortable sexual activity.
09
Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence (Male)
Symptoms: Urinary leakage following prostate surgery, difficulty initiating or maintaining urine flow.
How Physiotherapy Helps: We guide you through pelvic floor muscle retraining tailored to male anatomy, offering biofeedback and electrical stimulation to help regain continence and improve quality of life.
10
Sexual Dysfunction & Pain
Symptoms: Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia) for women; difficulty achieving/maintaining erections or ejaculatory pain for men.
How Physiotherapy Helps: By evaluating pelvic tension patterns, joint mobility, and postural imbalances, we create a plan including PFM coordination, neuromuscular re-education, and relaxation strategies to improve sexual function.
PELVIC HEALTH
Why Pelvic Health Matters
Pelvic health issues can impact every aspect of daily life, from physical comfort to emotional wellbeing.
Whether you’re dealing with pain, incontinence, or changes after pregnancy or surgery, our specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist is here to help.
Quality of life
Unaddressed pelvic conditions can lead to social withdrawal, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and depression.
Prevention of Long-Term Complications
Early rehabilitation reduces risk of pelvic organ prolapse progression, chronic pain syndromes, and recurrent urinary tract issues.
Holistic Well-Being
Pelvic floor muscles are interwoven with core stability, posture, and even mental health. Treating pelvic health can enhance overall strength, function, and confidence.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Our Approach
Comprehensive Consultation (1 Hour)
Your initial consultation includes a full medical history and a detailed physical assessment to understand the root cause of your symptoms.
We assess posture, movement, and pelvic floor function. A holistic approach also considers related areas like the spine, hips, and breathing patterns.
Education & Goal-Setting
You’ll gain an understanding of how pelvic structures function, why your symptoms occur, and what to expect during rehabilitation.
Together, we set realistic, measurable goals—whether it’s bladder control, pain reduction, or improving sexual function.
Individualised Treatment Plan / Recommendations
Based on our findings, we design a multi-modal plan combining manual techniques, exercises, and specialised therapies.
We review this plan with you step by step, ensuring you’re informed and empowered.
PELVIC HEALTH
Treatment Options & Modalities
Our pelvic health physiotherapy offers a range of gentle, effective treatment options designed to support your body’s natural healing process.
Each approach is tailored to your individual needs, helping you restore strength, improve function, and feel more in control. Here’s how we can help you on your journey to better pelvic health.
Pelvic Floor Muscle (PFM) Training
Both strengthening (for weak or underactive muscles) and relaxation/lengthening (for overactive or tight muscles) exercises.
Often used in combination with biofeedback, which offers real-time visual feedback on muscle activation, helping you learn correct contraction and release patterns.
Manual Therapy & Muscle Release
Gentle internal (intra-vaginal or intra-rectal) and external myofascial release techniques to ease trigger points in pelvic floor muscles, obturator internus, piriformis, and surrounding tissues.
Mobilisation of pelvic joints (sacroiliac and pubic symphysis) and adjacent joints (hips, lumbar spine) to restore mobility and reduce compensatory strain.
Bladder & Bowel Retraining
Tailored voiding schedules, urge suppression techniques, and dietary/lifestyle guidance (fluid intake, fibre optimisation) to normalise urinary and bowel patterns, reducing urgency and frequency.
BetterPelvi Chair Therapy
A specialised chair-based device providing targeted vibratory stimulation and muscle activation for pelvic floor rehabilitation.
Ideal for patients who need extra proprioceptive feedback, or those who struggle with traditional manual/volitional training.
Increases blood flow, promotes muscle relaxation, and enhances neuromuscular coordination—all within a comfortable, seated position.
Core Stabilisation & Functional Exercise
Integration of pelvic floor training with transversus abdominis and multifidus activation to build true core stability.
Functional movement patterns: squatting, lifting, and posture correction to transfer gains from the treatment room to daily life.
Home Exercise Program & Ongoing Support
Customised exercises, video tutorials, and regular check-ins to ensure progress.
Access to a secure patient portal for tracking symptoms, exercises, and messaging your therapist with questions.
PELVIC HEALTH
Meet Your Pelvic Health Specialist
Helen Carter
BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, HCPC, MCSP, POGP Registered
18+ Years’ Experience in Women’s & Men’s Pelvic Health
Helen has dedicated her career to helping patients overcome pelvic floor dysfunction. Her extensive training and compassionate approach ensure you’re heard, respected, and guided every step of the way.
Professional Credentials
- BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy
- Registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (MCSP)
- Registered Pelvic, Obstetric & Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) Practitioner
Holistic, Patient-Centered Philosophy
Helen believes in looking beyond symptoms,assessing posture, lifestyle factors, emotional well-being, and biomechanics. She prioritizes education, ensuring you understand your body and feel empowered to manage long-term health.
WHY US?
Why Choose Pelvic Health Physiotherapy at Life Chiropractic?
Integrated, Multi-Disciplinary Environment
As part of a chiropractic clinic, we can coordinate with chiropractors, massage therapists, and nutrition experts for truly comprehensive care.
Modern Facility & Advanced Equipment
Our clinic is equipped with the Better Pelvi Chair and other specialized tools to optimize outcomes.
Compassionate, Private Setting:
We understand how sensitive pelvic health issues are. Our consultation rooms are private, and our team maintains strict confidentiality and empathy.
Evidence-Based, Measurable Results:
Your progress is monitored through objective outcome measures—bladder diaries, strength assessments, pain scales—so you can see real improvement.
Don’t let pelvic discomfort, incontinence, or pain control your life. Take the First Step Toward Better Pelvic Health Today.
Natural.
At Life Chiropractic, we believe in natural, non-invasive healthcare that supports the body’s ability to heal and function at its best. Pelvic Health Physiotherapy fits seamlessly with this approach—using tailored exercise, hands-on therapy, and education to treat the root cause of symptoms without medication or surgery. It’s a holistic, empowering way to improve wellbeing and restore confidence naturally.
Book Your Pelvic Health
Consultation
• Full Health History
• Physical Assessment
• Treatment Recommendations
Call the clinic on 01268 774 008 if you can’t
find a suitable appointment.
Please enter a valid number, we confirm all bookings by phone.