What is a pelvic floor physiotherapist?
A Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist is a qualified physiotherapist registered with AHPRA (The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) who has undertaken additional training to be able to treat conditions of the pelvic floor.
What additional training does a pelvic floor physiotherapist have?
All our Physiotherapists at MPPP who treat conditions of the pelvic floor have completed (or are working towards completion of) a Graduate Certificate in Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy which is a postgraduate qualification from the University of Melbourne. This is alongside the extensive training and mentoring that our staff receive and alongside any external professional development courses which all our staff regularly attend.
Do I need a referral?
No you do not need a referral to be seen however we welcome any referral letters or reports from your treating doctor or health professional.
How long is an appointment?
A standard physiotherapy initial appointment is 30 minutes. If you have a chronic pain condition or multiple conditions we request that you book a 60 minute initial. Reviews are 30 minutes unless we advise you otherwise. All our group physiotherapy classes are 45 minutes. Myotherapy/Remedial massage and Yoga bookings are 1 hour in duration.
Do I need an internal examination?
During your appointment your Physiotherapist will take a comprehensive medical history from you which may include (if applicable) information on bladder/ bowel/ sexual function as well as obstetric and gynaecological history.
Examination of the pelvic floor may be recommended as part of the physical assessment and this can involve an internal vaginal or rectal examination. It is our responsibility to inform you of alternatives to internal examination and your participation in any aspect of the assessment is always your choice. Please let your Physiotherapist know your preferences at any time.
What does an internal examination involve?
Read our blog post here for details on exactly what to expect!
Can you assess my muscles on ultrasound?
Yes, we offer Real Time Ultrasound which can be used to visualise movement created by the Pelvic Floor where internal examination is not possible or not preferred by the client.
What if I have my period?
If you prefer, we can use ultrasound instead of an internal examination. However, we can still undertake an internal examination if necessary as therapists always wear personal protective equipment (i.e. gloves) for any examination regardless.
Do you treat mastitis?
Yes, all our physiotherapists are trained to treat inflammatory conditions of the lactating breast (including engorgement, blocked ducts or mastitis). Treatment may involve manual lymph drainage massage, fitting of compression garments (tubigrip) and therapeutic ultrasound.
Do you fit and manage pessaries?
Yes, our senior physiotherapists will fit and monitor pessaries (in conjunction with your doctor) for appropriate patients. You can contact us if you would like to ask about your suitability however suitability is best determined after a thorough assessment.
How much is an appointment?
All our fees can be viewed here.
Do you accept private health insurance?
Yes, provided you have extras cover for physiotherapy or remedial massage/myotherapy. You can claim on-the-spot via our Hicaps terminal. As rebates vary between provider, it is best to contact your health fund to find out how much you will receive.
My children are now grown up, can you help my incontinence?
It is never too late to start pelvic floor physiotherapy, muscle strength and function can be improved at any age and research suggests that you have a good chance of improvement, if not cure, with supervised pelvic floor training alone.
I have a sports injury, can you help me?
All our physios have training in general physiotherapy prior to specialising in pregnancy and pelvic floor. However, sports is not our area of expertise, so we will likely refer you to our colleagues at Melbourne Sports Physiotherapy.
Do you treat men too?
Yes we commonly treat men pre and post-prostatectomy and often with pelvic pain too. If you have a pelvic pain condition, we ask that you bring a medical referral to ensure a doctors assessment has been carried out prior to commencing pelvic floor physiotherapy.
How often do I need to attend?
This is highly variable and depends on the nature of your condition. As an example, the studies into pelvic floor physiotherapy on improving incontinence show that 3-4 months of supervised physiotherapy is the minimum timeframe for successful treatment. The frequency of appointments over this period will be established between you and your therapist and outlined in your Management Plan which you will receive at your first or second visit.
Do you have exercise classes too?
Yes we offer group physiotherapy classes (for pre and postnatal clients) and pre and postnatal Yoga in our upstairs studio (Dinah Pde).
DO YOU HAVE A LATE CANCELLATION POLICY?
As we are heavily booked and have a waiting list for appointments canceled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice we must apply a late cancellation fee which is the full consultation fee for that appointment. Cancellations for group classes with less than 24 hours notice will result in a forfeit of the fee paid for that class. We thank you in advance for your understanding. Please contact us directly if you believe you have extenuating circumstances.
HOW DO I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
All appointments (including group classes) can be booked online or via phone (03 9337 9125).
When booking online, all available appointments are shown and are booked instantly - you do not need to wait for confirmation from the clinic.
Please call for urgent appointments or if you are having trouble booking online.
During busy periods, if cannot find an available appointment at your preferred time, please call reception who can place you on our waitlist in case of an earlier cancellation.
If you are emailing us for an appointment, it is quicker and easier to use the ONLINE BOOKING system.
Online booking is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you don't need any logins.
By booking with us, you agree to accept our privacy policy.
Please Read Prior to Your Appointment
Please arrive 5 minutes before your initial appointment to allow you adequate time to fill in your new patient registration (if you haven’t already done so online).
Please bring with you any doctors or specialist referrals that you might have. For some conditions you will be required to provide a medical referral (our receptionists will inform you if required).
You are welcome to bring your baby, child or family member to your appointment.
NB: Your Physiotherapist will take a comprehensive medical history from you during your appointment. This may include (where applicable) information on bladder/ bowel/ sexual function as well as obstetric and gynaecological history.
Examination of the pelvic floor (where applicable) may involve an internal vaginal or rectal examination. Participation in any aspect of the assessment is always your choice & your Physiotherapist will explain all options to you.
Please let your Physiotherapist know your preferences at any time.
We are committed to ensuring your experience is comfortable.