The missing link in Endometriosis Physiotherapy - ConnectTherapy and Visceral Manipulation.
Endometriosis physiotherapy has become an interest area of mine since treating women with this condition, with good effect, since starting REBOOT Physiotherapy. Endometriosis effects 1 in 10 women and greatly effects quality of life measures; predominately due to pain. I understand that, unfortunately, as yet we have no cure but my aim is to work with clients to reduce the impact of their symptoms on their quality of life.
I am a women's health trained physiotherapist which allows me to better understand conditions specific to women and also assess the pelvic floor when required. In addition to women's health training I am trained in the ConnectTherapy Approach, Visceral Manipulation and Integrative Acupuncture and use these treatment techniques in my practice every day - these techniques are the reason I believe I can be effective at reducing and relieving your Endometriosis symptoms.
1. ConnectTherapy Series Graduate -
Connect Therapy is an assessment and treatment approach developed by Dr LJ Lee, a Canadian Physiotherapist.
The crux of the approach is being able to assess whole body mechanics to determine where the most important area of your body to treat is - not just treating the area where symptoms show up.
A good example of why this approach is important is: The body will tense/grip muscles in response to pain and discomfort including that from endometriosis so many women with endometriosis will have muscular pelvic pain and an over-active pelvic floor. An over-active pelvic floor can lead to pain around the pelvic area, hips, lower back etc. (Imagine if you walked around all day with your jaw clenched - your jaw and other areas are likely to get sore!). Treating or releasing the muscles around the pelvis could result in improvement of symptoms but it can also be the case where gripping and tensing of muscles around your rib cage (thorax), neck or shoulders could be the primary restriction and the pelvic floor compensating for that.
Connect Therapy uses an assessment approach that helps to determine which area should be our primary focus for treatment - i.e. which area of compression, if released gives the best results in other areas. This approach helps to make treatment and exercise prescription more effective and results longer lasting.
The Connect Therapy Approach allows us to determine in the assessment where we need to treat to be most effective in relieving your symptoms and therefore greatly improves the effectiveness of treatment.
2. Visceral Manipulation -
Visceral manipulation is a key component to add to the treatment of your endometriosis.
Endometriosis creates adhesions between the lining of organs reducing their ability to move freely.
Organs need to be able to slide and glide - while you are reading this turn your whole body to the left or right - think of the movement this creates in your abdomen and movement that needs to occur between your abdominal organs to allow this. This freedom of movement is required for everything we do - sitting, standing, walking, running, yoga, lifting, sleeping, breathing etc.
Visceral manipulation is gentle and involves specific techniques aimed at reducing the tension/restriction/adhesion or, on the flip side, improving the mobility between organs. While unfortunately not a cure, it can improve the pain and discomfort you experience by improving the mobility of the tissues effected by endometriosis - for our bodies movement is key!
3. Integrative Acupuncture -
Integrative Acupuncture is a treatment approach taught by the Australian Physiotherapy Association and the Australian Society of Acupuncture Physiotherapist and teaches a clinical reasoning framework and needling techniques based on Chinese and Japanese medicine.
Eastern medicine approach is about balancing the system - a healthy system can heal itself ('healing' referring to secondary effects from endo, unfortunately not a cure). I have found that adding needling to treatment for patients with endometriosis is beneficial and helps with long term management.
Needling is a safe, comfortable and effective form of treatment. In clinic I use sterile, single use, fine acupuncture needles. If you have any worry with needles don't worry, you do not have to have needling done and will only be done with your consent.
Treatment of endometriosis should always be a multi-pronged approach addressing lifestyle, medical and individual factors. I believe that physiotherapy plays an important role in helping to reduce your physical symptoms and improving your quality of life.
If you are interested in finding out more about REBOOT Physiotherapy please visit my website or call to discuss what I can do to help you manage your endometriosis symptoms.
To make a booking to start your treatment now click here!
REBOOT Physiotherapy
Level 1, 14 Brierly Street
WESTON ACT 2611
0422 487 717