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One in three women suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction. If you think this issue may be affecting you, Women’s Health Physiotherapist Fiona Healy O’Connor is here to help. Fiona is part of the team at Kerry Physiotherapy, which is situated on New Street in the centre of Killarney town.

After graduating from UCD in 2005, Fiona, a Dromid native, started working in Cork University Hospital. Two years later she went into the maternity hospital where she worked for nine years with the obstetricians and gynaecologists in Cork. She later did her Masters in Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in the University of Bradford. She also trained as an APPI Pilates instructor and has done multiple courses in the area of pelvic and women’s health.

Pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t something that people tend to talk about, Fiona explains.

“Women in general tend to keep it to themselves a lot. But they say that up to 80% can be helped by conservative measures such as physio, i.e. without surgery. I see ladies through their pregnancy and also after… Pelvic floor dysfunction can often develop many years later. I’ve treated ladies who haven’t had babies as well.

“Common conditions related to pelvic floor dysfunction would include pelvic pain, pelvic floor weakness, coccyx pain, and tummy muscle separation is one that we see a lot postnatally.”

Fiona has been working at Kerry Physiotherapy since 2015 but has twice been on maternity leave herself during that time. Now she’s starting up a new postnatal reconditioning class aimed at helping you to get back to your best following your pregnancy.

“It’s ideal for women who may be feeling generally weak in their lower back or hips, or experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction or tummy muscle separation,” Fiona says. “The aim is to get you to feel strong and get back exercising in a way that’s positive for your body. If you overload the postnatal body, you can end up with problems.

“This class is going to be pitched at the right level to get women back to full strength and full health.”

The next 6-week course of classes will take place every Monday at 9.30am, starting Monday, May 21. Contact Kerry Physiotherapy at 064 6670960 to book your place.