Workshop Overview

Every exercise you give a client or patient will affect their pelvic floor in some way.  Unfortunately this fact is often overlooked. Currently over one million Kiwis suffer from some form of pelvic floor related dysfunction.

The pelvic floor is a complex and dynamic system of muscles, fascia and ligaments, which should be considered when designing exercise programmes or assessing postural and musculoskeletal dysfunction. 

High risk clients, including pregnant and post-natal women, menopausal women, those undergoing pelvic/prostate surgery and certain athletes must be routinely screened for pelvic floor dysfunction.

This highly interactive workshop is suited to all health and fitness professionals with and interest in learning more about the pelvic floor.   We examine the anatomy and function of the pelvic floor, looking at its integral role as part of the “core” and what happens when things go wrong.

After learning about the various risk factors commonly facing many of your patients/clients, you’ll gain confidence using a screening tool to help both identify and discuss these risk factors with them. 

We’ll then look at which types of exercise may be detrimental to those at risk of/or suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction, and consider activity modifications or alternative pelvic floor safe exercises.  And of course, we’ll discuss when an onward referral to a specialist practitioner is required. All participants will be provided with screening tools to take with them.

Course Outline

8:30am – 9:00am

• Registration

9:00 – 10:30am

• Why is the Pelvic Floor Important?
• Defining pelvic floor dysfunction and screening

11:00 – 12:30am

• Dispelling the Myths
• Functional anatomy. Practical pelvic floor exercises

1:30 – 3:00pm

• Can Exercise Harm the Pelvic Floor?
• Exercise modifications. Practical

3:30 – 5:00pm

• Special Populations and Specific Advice
• Pregnancy, post-natal, menopausal, post-surgical and athletes
• Referral to specialists