Fit For Life Physio

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Fit For Life Physio

Our mission is to empower you to become more Fit for living your best Life, through Physiotherapy.

24/08/2025

👟 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know #9

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport.

9) TRUTH: Special consideration is required during an athletes perinatal period.
🔹 1 in 3 postpartum people report urinary incontinence, and up to 45% still have symptoms at 12 months if not addressed.
📖 Reference: Mørkved, S., & Bø, K. (2014). Postpartum pelvic floor muscle training and urinary incontinence: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol, 123(2 Pt 1), 310–318. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000000092

21/08/2025

👟 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know #8

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport.

8) TRUTH: Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) screening should be common practice. Use PFD-SENTINEL screening tool for females.

🔹 The PFD-SENTINEL is a validated tool designed to screen for symptoms early in female athletes, reducing delayed care.

📖 Reference: Schellhase, C. G., et al. (2023). Development and validation of the PFD-SENTINEL: a screening tool for pelvic floor dysfunction in female athletes. BJSM, 57(2), 102–108. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-106372

19/08/2025

👟 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know #7

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport.

7) TRUTH: Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) can have a negative impact on an athlete’s psychological well-being. Stats on faecal incontinence and running, or mental health and PFD

🔹 Up to 10% of runners experience f***l incontinence, which is linked to anxiety, embarrassment, and social withdrawal.

🔹 The prevalence of anxiety in people with PFD can be up to 70%

📖 Reference: Bharucha, A. E., et al. (2005). F***l incontinence in runners. Am J Gastroenterol, 100(4), 903–907. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.2005.40781.x
📖 Reference: Peinado Molina, R. A et al (2024). Prevalence of depression and anxiety in women with pelvic floor dysfunctions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 167(2), 507–528. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.15719

17/08/2025

👟 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know #6

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport

6) TRUTH: The athlete’s pelvic floor should be trained just like other muscle groups.

🔹 Pelvic floor training should include strength, endurance, power, coordination, and relaxation—especially for high-load demands in sport.

📖 Reference: Bo, K., & Frawley, H. (2021). Exercise and the Pelvic Floor. In: Evidence-Based Physical Therapy for the Pelvic Floor (2nd ed.). Elsevier.

14/08/2025

👟 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know #5

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport.

5) TRUTH: Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is prevalent among adolescent athletes.

🔹 One study found urinary leakage in 67% of young female trampolinists; rates are higher than in non-athlete peers.

📖 Reference: Eliasson, K., Larsson, T., & Mattsson, E. (2002). Prevalence of urinary incontinence in adolescent female athletes and dancers. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 12(5), 284–288. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0838.2002.10515.x

12/08/2025

👟 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know #4

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport.

4) TRUTH: Male athletes can suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD).

🔹 Though less researched, men can experience PFD symptoms including pelvic pain, urgency, or sexual dysfunction—particularly in endurance sports or post-surgery.
🔹 Symptoms may include pelvic pain, post-void dribble, erectile dysfunction, or constipation—and often go undiagnosed.
🔹 Up to 19 % of male track and field athletes experience urinary incontinence and urgency symptoms

📖 Reference: Giagiom S., et al (2025). Current periodic health evaluation for athletes exclude pelvic floor health: Are we neglecting an essential domain. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. ISSN 1440-2440,. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2025.07.001

10/08/2025

👟 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know #3

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport.

3) TRUTH: Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) may occur in any sport, but high-impact sports may increase risk.

🔹 Urinary incontinence prevalence is up to 80% in sports like trampolining, and around 30–40% in runners and gymnasts.

📖 Reference: Eliasson, K., et al. (2002). Urinary incontinence in adolescent female athletes. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 81(11), 1059–1064. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0412.2002.811111.x

07/08/2025

👟 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know #2

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport

2) TRUTH: Stress urinary incontinence is not the only symptom of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD)

🔹 PFD includes a range of symptoms: urgency, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, constipation, dyspareunia, and obstructive voiding.

📖 Reference: Haylen, B. T., et al. (2010). An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for female pelvic floor dysfunction. Int Urogynecol J, 21(1), 5–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-0976-9

04/08/2025

👟 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know #1

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport.

1) TRUTH: Physical activity may be protective, yet it may be associated with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD).

🔹 Moderate physical activity may reduce the risk of PFD, but high-impact or intense activity can increase it—especially in women without adequate pelvic floor conditioning.

📖 Reference: Bo, K., & Nygaard, I. (2020). Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Female Athletes: A Systematic Review. BJSM, 54(23), 1399–1404. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102633

01/08/2025

👟🏃‍♀️ 10 Pelvic Floor Truths Every Athlete Should Know

The pelvic floor among athletes is undervalued, underreported, and undertreated.

Whether you're a weekend warrior or Olympian —your pelvic floor affects and is affected by sport.

The pelvic floor controls pressure, supports your pelvic organs, maintains continence.
And yet… it’s often overlooked until it’s causing symptoms.

Follow along this month as we dive into each of these 10 facts to help you recognise, support, and protect your pelvic floor in sport and life.

🧠 Want to learn more or book a pelvic health check? DM us or check the link in bio.

29/07/2025

Your daily reminder to prioritize your health!
It is not selfish to look after your body and mind. If you are healthy yourself, you will be better able to look after your loved ones.

Take 5 minutes today to do something that brings you joy ✨

Self-care looks different for everyone, so here are some ideas:

☀️ Get outside and find some green or blue spaces
☀️ Move your body - walking, cycling, dancing
☀️ Skin or hair-care routines
☀️ Read a book or listen to your favourite music
☀️ Meditate, stretch or do some deep breathing
☀️ Play with your pet if you have one

If you need some advice to get your body back on track, get in touch with us at Fit For Life Physio 😊

22/07/2025

🧠Labour is as much a mental game as it is a physical one 💪

Learning to accept, trust and ride the waves of discomfort isn’t easy — but it can make a real difference when birth day arrives ✨

You can use an uncomfortable position as a chance to connect with the sensations, breathe through discomfort, and test out pain management techniques you might use in labour.

The more often you practise staying present with intensity now, the more familiar it will feel when it matters most 💜

Get in touch to see how our Pelvic Physio, Emma, can help you prepare for birth.

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Rolleston

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+642040395987

Website

https://fitforlife.co.nz/

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