Pelvic floor physiotherapy in Calgary

CARE BUILT AROUND YOU

Is pelvic floor physiotherapy right for you?

We begin by understanding what you’re experiencing and what you want to get back to. An assessment helps us decide whether this approach fits your needs and what other care may be appropriate.

Concerns we can discuss

Select a topic to learn more.

• Bladder leakage+

  Urinary incontinence means an unintended loss of urine. When it happens, any urgency and its effect on daily life are useful details to discuss. Symptoms deserve individual assessment rather than being assumed to be an unavoidable part of age or childbirth.

  Pelvic health physiotherapy can explore relevant muscle function and habits and discuss a plan suited to your situation. New bladder or bowel changes with severe back pain, groin numbness or leg weakness need urgent medical assessment.

• Urinary urgency or frequency+

  Urgency is a strong, difficult-to-defer need to pass urine; frequency means going more often than is usual for you. The timing, fluid habits and any leakage or pain help guide the conversation.

  A pelvic health assessment can consider suitable education, muscle coordination and other options. Burning, blood in urine or a new unexplained change also warrants medical advice, because symptoms are not always caused by pelvic floor function.

• Bladder or bowel control+

  Bladder control concerns can include leaking urine, urgency or difficulty emptying. Bowel control concerns involve passing stool or gas unintentionally or difficulty managing bowel movements. They are different symptoms, even when they occur together.

  Tell your clinician which symptoms you have and when they began. Pelvic health physiotherapy may form part of care, alongside medical assessment where needed. Sudden bladder or bowel changes with back pain, groin numbness or leg weakness need emergency medical assessment.

• Pelvic pressure or heaviness+

  A feeling of pelvic heaviness or pressure may be more noticeable with standing, lifting or exercise. Describe when it occurs and whether you also notice a bulge, discomfort or bladder and bowel changes.

  The sensation alone does not establish a diagnosis. Melissa can discuss assessment choices, exercise and activity demands, and whether another medical opinion is appropriate. Your comfort and consent guide which examinations or techniques are used.

• Pelvic pain+

  Pelvic pain or discomfort during sexual activity can have several causes and deserves a respectful, private conversation. Tell your clinician what you feel, when it occurs and what you would like help with; you decide how much to discuss.

  Pelvic health physiotherapy may consider relevant movement, muscle function and options for care after assessment. It does not replace medical assessment for an unexplained or acute pelvic problem. An internal assessment is optional and requires your consent.

• Discomfort during sexual activity+

  Pain during or after sexual activity can affect comfort, intimacy and confidence. It may feel superficial or deeper in the pelvis. You can describe what is difficult without agreeing to any examination, and you can bring questions or ask to pause.

  Speak with a health professional about persistent or unexplained pain, as pelvic floor function is only one possible contributor. Melissa can discuss whether pelvic health physiotherapy is appropriate and explain assessment choices. An internal examination is optional and requires your consent.

  Understanding pelvic pain
• Pregnancy and postpartum changes+

  Pregnancy and the period after birth can bring changes in comfort, abdominal wall function, pelvic floor symptoms and confidence with activity. Abdominal separation refers to widening between the main abdominal muscles; the functional picture matters alongside any measurement.

  Your assessment considers symptoms, birth or surgical history and the activities you want to return to. Discuss medical guidance and your stage of recovery so exercise and activity recommendations can be adapted to you.

• Abdominal separation following pregnancy+

  Diastasis recti describes a widening between the two sides of the abdominal muscles, commonly noticed during or after pregnancy. The distance between the muscles is only part of the picture; comfort and how your abdomen manages everyday movement also matter.

  A postpartum assessment can explore concerns such as lifting, getting out of bed and returning to exercise. Share your birth or surgical history and current medical guidance. Your physiotherapist can discuss an appropriate progression; a gap measurement alone does not determine which exercises you need.

  Pregnancy and postpartum rehabilitation
• Return to running, strength training or sport+

  Returning to impact, lifting or sport after pregnancy or with pelvic symptoms is an individual progression. Leakage, pressure or pain during exercise are useful details to bring to the assessment.

  Melissa can discuss pelvic floor coordination, strength, breathing and the demands of your activity. The next step depends on your findings and response, rather than one return date or exercise checklist for everyone.

  Running injury care
• Pelvic floor strength, tension or coordination+

  Pelvic health concerns can involve support, bladder or bowel control, pain or how the pelvic floor coordinates during activity. Similar symptoms can have different contributing factors, so assessment comes before choosing exercises.

  Melissa offers pelvic health physiotherapy for women, with attention to comfort and consent. You can discuss symptoms privately, ask about assessment options and decline an internal examination while still exploring other appropriate care.

• Changes following pelvic or abdominal surgery+

  Recovery after surgery depends on the operation, the stage of healing and the instructions from your surgical team. Bring your procedure details, restrictions and any rehabilitation guidance to the assessment.

  Your practitioner can discuss movement, strength and daily activities within that guidance. Pelvic or abdominal surgery may also raise questions about comfort, bladder or bowel symptoms and returning to exercise, which can be discussed privately with the appropriate clinician.

  Explore physiotherapy

A concern on this list is a starting point for assessment, not a diagnosis or a promise of a particular result.

Pregnancy, postpartum and return to sport

Pregnancy & postpartum

Discuss pelvic pressure, bladder leakage, discomfort, abdominal separation and a gradual return to activity. Assessment and rehabilitation are adapted to your symptoms, stage and goals.

Active women & female athletes

Running, lifting and sport place different demands on your body. Your plan may bring together breathing, coordination, strength and load management to support your return to the activities you value.

YOUR TREATMENT PLAN

What pelvic floor physiotherapy may involve

Treatment is selected around the assessment, your preferences and your response over time. Your plan may include:

Select a topic to learn more.

• Education+

  Education means making sense of your assessment and the choices available to you. Your practitioner explains the working picture, what remains uncertain, and how treatment relates to the activities you want to return to.

  It can include guidance on daily activity, exercise, symptom monitoring and when to ask for further help. Bring questions about your work, sport or previous advice so the plan is practical outside the clinic.

  Explore physiotherapy
• Breathing strategies+

  Breathing strategies look at how breathing and movement work together during a task. In pelvic health care, this may be considered alongside pelvic floor coordination, relaxation and the demands of lifting or exercise.

  Your physiotherapist can help you practise a strategy that fits your symptoms and the activity. Breathing advice is individualized; it is not a substitute for assessing pain, bladder symptoms or other pelvic health concerns.

• Mobility work+

  Mobility work explores the movement available at a joint or through a task. It can include active movements, stretches or hands-on assistance selected for the area that feels limited.

  The aim is to make the plan relevant to a real task, such as reaching, turning, walking or lifting. The range, pace and amount are chosen around your findings and response; forcing a painful movement is not the goal.

  Explore physiotherapy
• Pelvic floor exercises+

  Pelvic floor exercises work on the muscles involved in pelvic support and bladder or bowel control. A plan may focus on coordination, strength, endurance or the ability to relax, depending on your assessment.

  More squeezing is not automatically the answer for every pelvic symptom. Your physiotherapist helps you understand the movement and adapts the plan to your situation. You decide which assessment and treatment options you consent to, and can pause or decline an internal assessment.

  Patient resource: pelvic floor muscles
• Strength training+

  Strength training uses resistance to challenge muscles. In rehabilitation, that might start with body weight, a band or a light external load and build toward the demands of daily life or sport.

  Progressive strengthening means adjusting the exercise over time. Load, repetitions, range and recovery are considered together, with changes based on how you respond. Your practitioner or coach can explain the starting point and how progress will be reviewed.

  Explore physiotherapy Personal training options
• Movement retraining+

  Movement retraining practises a task with a particular cue or adjustment. That might involve the timing, coordination, range or pace of a movement relevant to your daily life or sport.

  Your practitioner explains what the change is intended to address and checks how it feels for you. The aim is a workable movement option and progress toward your goal, not forcing everyone into one ideal pattern.

  Explore physiotherapy Explore a running assessment
• Manual therapy when appropriate+

  Manual therapy is hands-on treatment of joints or soft tissues. Depending on your assessment and consent, it may involve massage, gentle movement or other techniques intended to address pain or restricted movement.

  Your practitioner explains the technique and checks your comfort. Hands-on care can sit alongside exercise and self-management; it does not replace a plan for the activities you want to regain. Ask about alternatives if you prefer a different approach.

  Explore physiotherapy Chiropractic care
• Load management+

  Load management considers how much demand your body is handling across work, exercise and daily life. Duration, intensity, frequency and recovery all form part of that picture.

  Your plan may temporarily adjust a provoking activity while keeping appropriate movement in your routine. Progression is based on your assessment and response; there is no single mileage increase, rest period or training schedule that suits every injury.

  Running injury care Explore physiotherapy

What to expect at your appointment

We reassess as you progress. Recommendations, treatment choices and outcomes vary between people. Where appropriate, your practitioner can discuss working with other members of the team, with your consent.

Appointments in Bridgeland

Visit our clinic at 217 4 St NE, Unit 105, in Bridgeland, Calgary. See clinic hours, parking and directions, or compare treatment prices before booking.

Direct billing is available. Coverage and referral requirements depend on your insurance plan.

MEET YOUR PEOPLE

Meet your practitioners

Melissa Chea

Physiotherapist