Physiotherapy helps pelvic health issues

Yvette Batten/Fairfax NZ

Bone structure: Lisa Yates of Bond And Yates Continence and Women's Health looks through a model of the pelvic ntsG palvisnte bones.

Relief is in sight for people with incontinence problems.

Jane Bond and Lisa Yates, both prominent physiotherapists and specialists in women's health, have formed their own practice.

"Most of the referrers in this town would know who we are," Mrs Yates says. Ms Bond has worked in this field about 20 years while Mrs Yates has worked for seven years.

Bond And Yates Continence And Women's Health opened in the new Greg Brien Physiotherapy building at 21 Henui St.

The new business helps people with many problems.

These include people with pregnancy related back and pelvic pain, bladder and bowel incontinence, pelvic floor dysfunction, post natal musculoskeletal pain and pre and post-pelvic surgery.

Other issues they specialise in are acupuncture, weight loss and personal training after pregnancy and the treatment of inflammatory breast conditions.

"This is the first time there's been a private women's health service in New Plymouth offering all these services.

"A lot of women, when they come to see us, they're quite surprised that we have such in-depth knowledge in this area and a lot of them have been suffering with the same conditions for a long time."

For years people have been asking for a service like this. Both women work part time with the Taranaki District Health Board.

"It's a very limited service," she says. "So we're just sort of opening it up and trying to decrease the waiting lists a little bit."

A recent study done by the New Zealand Continence Association reported that almost one million Kiwis were suffering from bladder or bowel problems.

It's more common in women than men. One of the most common causes is giving birth. Around 80 per cent of women who have these problems can be successfully treated.

Quite often this can be done without three or four sessions, Mrs Yates says.

Men suffer from issues too usually surrounding prostate problems like cancer or enlargement of the glands.The practice opened late last year and they've been so busy they haven't had to advertise yet.

"New Plymouth is a great town for word of mouth.

"We're keen to let the women out there know that they can often be helped with a lot of these problems and not to suffer in silence."

Mrs Yates is also a qualified personal trainer who specialises in helping women get fit after pregnancy.

For more details visit www.filifit.com or to book a session contact Mrs Yates at lisa@filifit.com or ring 7584778.

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