Vie Physio, Pelvic & Women's Health

26/05/2026

19/05/2026

Leaking with a cough or sneeze?
“The Knack” is an oldie but a goldie! It's a simple technique where you gently contract your pelvic floor before and during a rise in pressure.

Research has shown it can help reduce urine leakage during everyday activities. It is not about constantly gripping your pelvic floor all day. It is about timing and coordination.

Think:
✨ Cough → pelvic floor on first
✨ Sneeze → pelvic floor on first

Important: if you are leaking despite trying this, it does not automatically mean “weak pelvic floor”. Pressure management, breathing, timing, pelvic floor overactivity, prolapse support and load tolerance can all play a role.

📍Pelvic health physiotherapy can help identify why leakage is happening and what approach is most appropriate for you.







Reference:
Miller JM, Ashton-Miller JA, DeLancey JOL. A pelvic muscle precontraction can reduce cough-related urine loss in selected women with mild SUI. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 1998;46(7):870 to 874.

15/05/2026

People often think pelvic health physio is just pelvic floor exercises.

Meanwhile we are over here doing:
• ultrasound
• strength rehab
• bowel retraining
• bladder rehab
• prolapse management
• breathing strategies
• pain science
• nervous system regulation
• s*xual pain rehabilitation
• pessary fittings
• return to running
• pressure management
• consultant letters
• and occasionally discussing stool consistency in alarming detail.

Turns out the pelvic floor is attached to an actual human.

Respectfully… we do a bit more than squeezes!

Pelvic health physios, what would you add? 👀

07/05/2026

Seeing your pelvic floor changes everything.
This is real-time ultrasound of a pelvic floor contracting and relaxing. The pelvic floor is hidden inside your body. You cannot see it, you cannot touch it, you are just guessing at what is happening.

But when you can actually watch it move on screen, everything shifts. You see the squeeze. You see the release. You understand coordination instead of just feeling tension. You realise where the block is, or why relaxation is hard.

This is why we use ultrasound in clinic. It takes the guesswork out. It shows you exactly what your body is doing.

And once you can see it, you can change it!

If you have been struggling with pelvic floor symptoms and no one has shown you what is actually happening, that conversation is worth having.

30/04/2026

I’m seeing more very absolute advice online in pelvic amd women's health.
The problem is that prolapse doesn’t present the same way in every woman.
Some women need to focus on relaxation.
Some need strengthening.
Some need bowel and pressure management.
Many need a combination.

So “always do this” and “never do that” advice rarely serves women well.

Individualised, evidence-informed care still matters.

27/04/2026

Struggling to empty your bowels completely?
It could be a rectocele. A rectocele is when the re**al wall bulges into the va**na, and it can make it really difficult to pass stool.

You might feel blocked, or like you are not fully empty even after you have been to the toilet.

The good news? There are things that can help.

One simple technique is splinting. During bowel movement, gently insert your thumb into the va**na and press backwards towards the re**um. This supports the re**al wall and helps stool pass more easily.

For some women, even gentle external support, pressing on the perineum from the outside, is enough to make a difference. These are things you can do at home, and they often work really well.

Note: Rectocele is not the only reason this happens. Stool type, pelvic floor muscle function, and coordination all play a role too. A pelvic health physio can assess you to figure out what is actually going on.

25/04/2026

Caroline and Aoibhín escaped for a night to the ISCP Awards in Limerick.

Delighted to bring home a prize for Private Practice Innovation and recognition for what we're building at Vie Physio.

Grateful and buzzing.

19/04/2026

In my last reel about s*x after baby, we talked about readiness, arousal, and lubrication.
But there’s another piece that is often missed.
If s*x is painful after having a baby, many women assume they’re “not healed” yet, or that something is wrong with their scar.

Sometimes that is part of the picture.
But very often, there is also a pelvic floor that is tight, guarded, or not fully relaxing.

We see this after va**nal birth and after C-section.
The muscles can start to grip in response to pain, discomfort, or even anticipation around pe*******on. When that happens, they don’t fully relax, and that can make pe*******on feel difficult or painful.

This is not something you need to push through, and it’s not something that improves with more strengthening alone.

If you have any concerns about healing, your scar, stitches, or ongoing pain, it’s important to speak with your GP, obstetrician, or women’s health physiotherapist to make sure everything has healed as expected.

And if things just don’t feel right, even if you’ve been told you’re “fine”, a pelvic health physiotherapy assessment can help you understand what’s going on and guide you forward.

*x

11/04/2026

Most women are not properly prepared for this part of postnatal recovery.

They’re told they’re “fine” at six weeks
and assume that means they should be ready to have s*x again.

For many, that couldn’t be further from the truth

Here are three things that actually matter:
• Most women are not ready at six weeks
Being medically cleared is not the same as feeling physically or emotionally ready. Many women are exhausted, touched out, and still recovering.

• Arousal is not an added bonus
It increases blood flow, supports natural lubrication, and changes how pe*******on feels. Skipping this step often leads to discomfort or pain.

• L**e is a game changer
Postnatal hormone changes, especially if breastfeeding, can reduce natural lubrication. A good quality, fragrance-free lubricant can make a significant difference.

There is no timeline you need to follow and no pressure to rush back before you feel ready.

If s*x is painful, uncomfortable, or just doesn’t feel right after having a baby, it’s worth getting support.

Pelvic health physiotherapy can help you understand what’s going on and guide you back to comfortable, confident intimacy.

If s*x is painful, I’ll cover one of the most common causes we see in clinic in a reel very soon.