Pelvic Health Education & Resources
Welcome to our pelvic health blog, where we share evidence-based education on pelvic floor function, pregnancy and postpartum recovery, vaginal dilators, pelvic floor wands, lubrication, painful sex and bladder leakage.
Written by an Australian physiotherapist, these guides are designed to help you better understand your body, make informed decisions and choose the right products with confidence.
News
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How to relieve constipation: what actually softens stool, and what to do on the toilet
A pelvic health physiotherapist's guide to constipation: what counts as constipated, what genuinely softens stool, what to do when you're sitting there getting nowhere, and the danger signs that mean see a doctor rather than try another remedy. -
Rectal prolapse and rectocele: the difference, and how a pelvic health physio helps
Rectal prolapse and rectocele get confused constantly. What each one is, the bowel-care habits that sit at the heart of conservative management, and when a colorectal specialist needs to be involved. -
How to poo properly: a pelvic physio's guide to toilet position and technique
There is a correct way to empty your bowels, and most of us were never taught it. A pelvic health physiotherapist on toilet position, the breathing technique that replaces straining, how long you should sit, and why it matters for your pelvic floor. -
Prolapse surgery in Australia: options, questions to ask, and what recovery involves
When prolapse surgery is considered, what native tissue repair involves, why transvaginal mesh was removed in Australia, the questions worth asking your surgeon, and how physiotherapy fits before and after. -
Doing nothing about your prolapse is a valid option. Here's when it makes sense
Australian guidance is clear: if a prolapse isn't affecting your life, choosing to do nothing is safe and legitimate. When watchful waiting makes sense, what to keep an eye on, and when to revisit the decision. -
Pessaries for prolapse: types, fitting and what to expect
What a pessary is, the types used for prolapse, who fits them in Australia, what happens at the appointment, and what living with one is really like. -
Prolapse treatment without surgery: the conservative options, honestly explained
Most pelvic organ prolapse is managed without surgery. A pelvic health physio's guide to the conservative options Australian guidelines recommend: lifestyle changes, supervised pelvic floor training, pessaries and topical oestrogen. -
Exercising with a prolapse: what's safe, what to modify, and how to come back
Staying active with a pelvic organ prolapse is usually encouraged. Why strength training matters, what to modify, whether pelvic floor exercises actually help, postpartum recovery timelines, and sex with a prolapse. -
Pelvic organ prolapse: what it is, what it feels like, and what actually helps
What pelvic organ prolapse actually is, the four types, what it feels like, and the treatment options Australian clinical guidelines recommend, from do-nothing to physio-led care to surgery. -
Leaking when you run, jump or lift: a sports physio's guide to your pelvic floor
A damp patch after a run, crossed legs before a box jump, the sprint session you quietly skip. Leaking with exercise is common, it isn't something to put up with, and it responds well to the right training. A sports and pelvic physio on why it happens, how to fix it, and what to use in the meantime. -
Menopause symptoms: how to manage hot flushes, sleep, bladder changes and dryness
Flushes, 3am sweats, a bladder that has changed its mind and sex that has become something to get through. A pelvic physio's honest guide to what helps with each symptom of menopause, what doesn't, and the pelvic floor part nobody puts on the list. -
Perimenopause libido: is it desire, sensation, or your pelvic floor?
Most of the time this conversation doesn't start in a pelvic health appointment. It starts with a shoulder. A physio on the three things "low libido" in perimenopause usually turns out to be, and how to tell which one is yours. -
Incontinence after prostate surgery: what's normal, how long it lasts, and what actually helps
The catheter comes out and nobody warned you it would be like this. What is normal in the first six weeks, how long leaking actually lasts, what the evidence says about physio including the trial that found it didn't help, and what to do while you wait. -
Diastasis recti: self-check, exercises, and when surgery is actually worth it
A pelvic physiotherapist's honest guide to diastasis recti: the at-home finger test, exercises that help, what it looks like in men, whether it improves years later, and when surgery is genuinely indicated. -
Vaginal Moisturiser vs Lubricant: What's the Difference and Do You Need Both?
A lubricant reduces friction in the moment. A vaginal moisturiser restores moisture to the tissue over time. This guide explains the difference, when to use each, and when combining both gives the best results — from pelvic health physiotherapy practice. -
Pelvic floor exercises for men: how to do them right (and check that you are)
Most men are handed a leaflet and told to do their pelvic floor exercises. Almost nobody is shown how, and the cue you are given changes whether you contract the right muscle at all. An Australian physio on the cues that actually work, the mirror check, how many to do a day, and when squeezing is the wrong plan entirely. -
Pelvic wands for men: rectal use for CPPS, prostatitis and pelvic pain
A physio's plain guide to pelvic wands in men's pelvic pain. What a hypertonic pelvic floor looks like in men, where rectal wand work fits in CPPS and chronic prostatitis, and how the technique differs from vaginal use. -
How to Use Ohnut Buffer Rings: A Step-by-Step Guide
A physio's step-by-step guide to Ohnut buffer rings: how to stack for depth control, which lube to use, cleaning, and when to see a physio. -
Heat or ice for pelvic pain: when warmth may help and when cooling fits
Warmth for tight muscles, cool for irritated nerves. A plain guide to when heat or ice fits in pelvic pain, what the evidence says, and where the Temperature Therapy Wand sits. -
Hypertonic pelvic floor and trigger points: what they are, where they sit, and how internal release works
A pelvic physio's plain-language guide to hypertonic pelvic floor: what trigger points are, the muscles they form in, the symptoms they cause, and how internal release works between physio sessions. -
Lubricant Ingredients to Avoid: A Guide to Reading the Label
Many mainstream lubricants contain ingredients that cause irritation, encourage thrush, or disrupt the vaginal microbiome. This guide explains exactly which ingredients to avoid, why they matter, and what to look for instead. -
Natural Lubricants: What's Safe and What Isn't
Coconut oil, olive oil, aloe vera — the internet has plenty of DIY lubricant suggestions. Some are fine; others can disrupt vaginal health. This guide explains what's genuinely safe, what to avoid, and which certified natural lubricants are worth using. -
Urge Incontinence vs Stress Incontinence: How to Tell the Difference
Urge incontinence and stress incontinence look different, feel different, and are treated differently. But most women aren't sure which one they have. A pelvic physio explains the four types of urinary incontinence, how to tell them apart at home, and what actually helps for each.
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Pelvic Pain in Women: Causes, What It Feels Like & When to See a Pelvic Physio
One in four Australian women lives with pelvic pain. A pelvic physio explains the causes, what it feels like, and when to get help. -
Nocturia: Why You Keep Waking Up to Pee (and What to Do About It)
Waking up to pee twice, three or four times a night isn't just part of being female or being over forty. It's called nocturia, and it has identifiable causes: overactive bladder, sleep apnoea, hormonal shifts, fluid timing, sometimes more serious medical issues. A pelvic physio walks through why it happens and what actually helps.
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How to Use a Vaginal Dilator: A Step-by-Step Guide
A pelvic physio-led, step-by-step guide to using a vaginal dilator — sizing, lubrication, how often, how long and how to start comfortably. -
Pelvic wand vs vaginal dilator: which one do you actually need?
A pelvic physio's plain-language guide to the difference between a wand and a dilator. What each tool actually does, when each one fits, and how to choose if you haven't seen a physio yet.
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Bladder Retraining: A Pelvic Physio's Step-by-Step Guide
Bladder retraining is the first-line treatment for overactive bladder. A pelvic physio's schedule, urge-suppression toolkit, and what to do between visits.
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What Lubricant Should I Use with Vaginal Dilators?
Getting the lubricant right is one of the most practical things you can do to support your dilator therapy. This guide covers which type to use with silicone dilators, how to apply it, and which products pelvic health physiotherapists recommend. -
How to Choose an iroha Vibrator: A Soft-Silicone Buyer’s Guide
A physio-led iroha buyer's guide. External, internal, slim and partner-friendly compared, with how-to-use notes for first-timers.
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What Causes Pain During Sex in Females? A Guide to Deep Dyspareunia
Deep pain during sex isn't random. It almost always traces back to one of a small list of pelvic structures: the cervix, uterus, pelvic floor, bladder, bowel, or the ligaments that hold everything in place. Here's how to tell which one is causing yours, and what actually helps.
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Overactive Bladder Symptoms: A Physio's Guide to What's Really Going On (and What Actually Helps)
Some overactive bladder symptoms are obvious. Others are so woven into everyday life that women don't realise they're symptoms at all. A pelvic physio walks through the quieter signs of OAB, why they happen, and what actually helps.
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Lubricant for Menopause Dryness: What Actually Works
Vaginal dryness affects more than 1 in 2 women after menopause, yet most never mention it to their doctor. This guide covers the best lubricants and vaginal moisturisers for menopausal dryness — with product recommendations from pelvic health physiotherapy practice.
