WHO and WHAT IS THE Pelvic and Women’s Health PHYSIOTHERAPY GROUP?

The PELVIC AND WOMEN’S HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPY GROUP (PWHPG) of the South African Society of Physiotherapy is a SASP Special Interest Group established with the following aims: (to promote)
• To promote excellent standards of service and consistency of practice in pelvic (MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN)and women’s health by physiotherapists.
• To provide a forum for physiotherapists with an interest in women’s health, and pelvic health in men, women and children.
• To represent pelvic and women’s health physiotherapy both nationally and internationally.
• To promote research efforts in pelvic and women’s health physiotherapy.
• To enhance the education of physiotherapy students, health care professionals and members of the community on the role of pelvic and women’s health physiotherapists.
• To encourage pelvic and women’s health physiotherapists to improve their specialist therapeutic skills and understanding of this field of work through relevant courses, workshops and research.
• To keep the members informed of relevant professional and political developments especially with regard to policy making, both internationally and nationally, which are relevant to pelvic and women’s health.
• To foster mutual understanding and collaboration in order to facilitate good working relationships with health care professionals.

To foster mutual understanding and collaboration with other special interests groups and the physiotherapy community as a whole.
• To promote all aspects of health education and patient care in the field of pelvic and women’s health physiotherapy (within the community).
• To fight for an adequate remuneration with health funding organizations.
• To fight for recognition of our value within the health departments.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF PWHPG MEMBERSHIP?

• Become part of a network and a community of  physiotherapists with like-minded interest in pelvic and women’s health.
  Free CPD accredited talks at PWHPG Meetings.
  • Discounted PWH CPD courses.
  • Option to study towards an APDL2 qualification in Pelvic and Women’s Health.
  • Updated info/assistance on medical aid issues.
  • Option to be involved within the structures of SASP and plan activities for the group.
  • Membership of the Facebook group (closed group) which allows for sharing of latest research and developments in Pelvic and Women’s Health physiotherapy in South Africa and be able to share ideas on a discussion platform regarding patient care and any other issues affecting your practice.
  • Links and information regarding National (SAUGA) and International (IUGA) events and membership of these organisations.
  • Representation at International Uro-Gynaecology Association and World Confederation of Physical Therapy.

PATIENT POPULATIONS WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM Pelvic and Women’s Health PHYSIOTHERAPY:

• Ante Natal/post Natal – treating painful breasts and advice on breastfeeding
• Post-surgery eg. mastectomy (to improve lymph drainage), post-prostatectomy (to rehabilitate the pelvic floor and erectile dysfunction), and post-hysterectomy (to rehabilitate the pelvic floor)
  Menopausal women.
  Pelvic dysfunctions in all age groups and both sexes including:
  -Bladder/bowel dysfunctions
  -Pelvic Pain
  -Sexual dysfunctions.
  • Pelvic and Women’s Health Physiotherapy is a broad umbrella term which covers a wide variety of children, male and female patients. This can include patients suffering from: incontinence both urinary and faecal; haemorrhoids and constipation; chronic pelvic pain; sexual dysfunction; the complications of cancer treatment (prostate and gynaecological), difficulties encountered during the childbearing year; as well as many other types of pelvic dysfunction.
  • Importantly it is also not just those patients presenting to us with these problems who may need our help. There are many people who are suffering in silence and through having the skills and knowledge to be able to identify these patients we can help people who never even knew that their problem had a solution.

From Left to Right:
Treasurer: Johann Mulder
Chair: Lauren Ellis
Secretary: Monique Koopman

 

 

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