Vie Physio, Pelvic & Women's Health

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 vaginal 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

15/04/2026

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.

08/04/2026

Bladder leakage is common
But it’s not all the same
The two most common types we see are stress incontinence and urge incontinence
And they behave very differently

Stress incontinence
Leak with cough, sneeze, exercise, jumping
→ often linked to pressure and support

Urge incontinence
A sudden, strong urge you can’t defer
→ often linked to bladder signalling and control
Many women are told to just “do your pelvic floor exercises”

But that’s only part of the picture
Because the right treatment depends on the type
And often, there’s a mix of both

This is where assessment matters
So we’re not guessing...
We’re targeting the actual driver of your symptoms

03/04/2026

These are just some of the reasons women come through our doors each week.

Many arrive thinking nothing can be done
or that they’ve “left it too late”

In most cases, that’s not true.

With the right guidance, things can change
If you’ve been unsure where to start, this is your sign to look into it

We’ll be breaking these down over the coming weeks so you can better understand what’s going on and what can help

25/03/2026

Turned 40 today.
First ever abstract submitted ... I have been quietly working away at that in the background.
And a very windy walk with my biggest supporter.
Not a bad way to mark it!

06/03/2026

At Vie Physio we support women’s health every day in clinic.
International Women’s Day gives us an opportunity to shine a light on conversations that have too often remained behind closed doors.
Across pelvic health we continue to see three persistent challenges:
• diagnostic delays for many women’s health conditions
• underrepresentation of women in research
• symptoms that are normalised rather than properly assessed
Education and open conversation are essential to changing this.
This week we are proud to be contributing to those conversations beyond the clinic.
Caroline will be presenting at the Sarsfields GAA Women in Sport event, supporting female athletes and active women with evidence based pelvic health education.
Aoibhín will be presenting to healthcare staff at Naas General Hospital, highlighting key issues in women’s pelvic health and how healthcare professionals can help bring these conversations into the open.
Women deserve earlier support, better information and healthcare that listens.
If your organisation, healthcare team or sporting group is interested in hosting a women’s health education session, we would love to be part of the conversation.

05/03/2026

Is there a “best” type of exercise?

We often hear that strength training is the most important. And it’s true that lifting weights helps build muscle and protect bone.

But our bodies benefit from lots of different types of movement.

Cardiovascular exercise supports heart and metabolic health. Strength training supports muscle and bone. Balance work helps prevent falls and keeps us moving well as we age.

And movement is powerful for mental health too. Research shows regular exercise can reduce the risk of several chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some cancers, osteoporosis and depression.

Right now in our family the newest form of exercise is ballet… because my mum has just started classes.

Proof that it’s never too late to try something new.

01/03/2026

When another physiotherapist says this was one of the best CPDs she has done, I do not take that lightly.

Thank you for such thoughtful feedback. It means a great deal.

You can watch Sinead's full reflections over on her page. She is based in East Wicklow and doing excellent work in women’s health.

If you are a physiotherapist who wants to feel more confident treating pelvic pain and dyspareunia, join the waiting list. Link in bio.

01/03/2026

Yesterday’s pelvic pain practical with a brilliant group of physiotherapists from across Ireland.

We spent the day deep in clinical reasoning. Pain physiology. Urological and gynaecological contributors. Trauma informed assessment. Sexual function. Manual therapy. Movement integration.

Pelvic pain is rarely simple.
For many patients, cure is not the metric.

Safety, understanding, autonomy and quality of life are.

It is encouraging to see clinicians leaning into complexity rather than avoiding it.

Grateful to this thoughtful, generous group for the depth of discussion and commitment to raising standards of care.

If you would like to join the next cohort, the waiting list link is in the bio.

19/01/2026

Louder for those in the back 👀

It is hard to believe we still need to repeat this in 2026

Endometriosis is not caused by retrograde menstruation.
It is not cured by pregnancy or hysterectomy.
And it is not a condition that sits neatly in one medical box.

Endometriosis is a complex, multifactorial, systemic condition involving immune, inflammatory, hormonal and nervous system processes.

When outdated explanations are repeated, diagnosis is delayed, symptoms are dismissed, and people are harmed.

Evidence matters.
Language matters.

Save. Share. Challenge the myths.