A new LIVE ONLINE one-day course which will prepare Musculoskeletal physiotherapists to assess, treat and manage key conditions of pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain. It will also enable musculoskeletal physios to identify conditions that require more specialist pelvic health physiotherapy such as prolapse, urinary dysfunction, obstetric anal sphincter injury and pelvic pain.

Course Outline: Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain has a high incidence and is a leading cause of both physical and psychological disability. Post-natal PGP also affects a significant number of women yet finding physiotherapists who are comfortable and competent to see these women can be challenging. Rectus diastasis has a high incidence post-Nataly and has been associated with an increased incidence of pelvic floor dysfunction such as stress urinary incontinence, pelvic pain and prolapse. Women with diastasis also face challenges locating physiotherapists who are happy to see them. Post- natal return to sport, exercise and activity can be limited due to obstetric anal sphincter injury, pain, diastasis, urinary symptoms and other pelvic floor disorders. Musculoskeletal physiotherapists are well placed to assess, treat and manage all of these conditions.

Style of teaching: Within the course there is an emphasis on practical teaching, but with some interactive theory sessions. The course is fully supported by some pre-course reading to include key papers, podcasts and VLOGS.

 Aims:

This course will prepare Musculoskeletal physiotherapists to assess, treat and manage all of the afore mentioned conditions of pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain. It will also enable musculoskeletal physios to identify conditions that require more specialist pelvic health physiotherapy such as prolapse, urinary dysfunction, obstetric anal sphincter injury and pelvic pain.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this workshop participants will have the skills for:

1. Pelvic Girdle Pain: Effective ways of reducing pain, fear avoidance and increasing function.
2. External assessment of the Pelvic floor for the Musculoskeletal physiotherapist.
3. Rectus Diastasis: What's the most effective way to assess & treat this.
4. Using Ultrasound imaging in the assessment and treatment of Rectus diastasis & pelvic floor dysfunction.
5. Musculoskeletal physios guide to obstetric anal sphincter injury, prolapse , female pelvic pain.
6. Safe return to sport post-Nataly

Biography of Tutor, Mr Gerard Greene:

 Gerard combines teaching & research with working in his specialist Pelvic health Physio clinics in Birmingham. His clinics specialise in Women’s and Men’s health Physiotherapy in addition to  children & adolescent bowel & bladder and he works with a team of 7 other pelvic health physios.

Gerard co-founded the Women’s Health Physiotherapy Facebook group which now has 10,000 members and is a leading international forum. He was invited to present at WCPT 2017 in Cape Town and has also delivered courses for the South African Society Physiotherapy (2017), Japanese Physical Therapy Association (2018) and is currently working with the American Physical Therapy Assoc. He has also taught pregnancy and post- natal physio courses in Ireland & UK and is passionate about getting more MSK and sports physiotherapists involved in these areas of practice. Gerard is also working with The English Institute of Sport within the area of sporting pelvic floor dysfunction. He is a previous executive member of the MACP and is part of the MSc team in Coventry University where he is an associate professor.