Spotlight on women’s health physiotherapy
Women’s physiotherapy covers all disorders of the pelvis and the pelvic floor muscles and whilst this is a significant area of physiotherapy, many women don’t seek out these services until they are in pain. Many women are told that issues such as incontinence after childbirth are common but we know that just because it’s common, it doesn’t make it normal or okay.
There are many issues that women live with that they don’t have to and may not be aware that physiotherapy can greatly alleviate pelvic floor-related issues. Treatment can be available for a whole range of pelvic conditions such as pelvic floor tightness/weakness, incontinence, cystitis, perineal scarring, diastasis recti as just some examples, and covering life events such as pregnancy and menopause when the body experiences huge change.
There are 229 million women in the EU, many of whom are going to or are already experiencing pelvic conditions without seeking any help – conditions that are often inconvenient or embarrassing, but not so severe that they feel the need to seek medical help.
How can you help to attract more female patients to your practice and ensure it feels like a comfortable safe space to seek out treatment?
• Ensure you are explicitly including women’s health physiotherapy as part of your treatment list.
• Talk about it! The way to remove stigma and embarrassment is to talk about it so make sure you are including women’s health as a key part of your marketing strategy.
• Make your spaces women-friendly. If your practice is mainly led by male physiotherapists, consider diversifying your staff and always offer a chaperone to help women to feel safe.
And of course, always make sure your practice is equipped with the best machines to support your patients to better health. If you’d like to find out more about how our full range of MED equipment can help you in practice, get in touch with our friendly team to talk through your specific requirements.