Pelvic Health Physiotherapy: The WOMB Guelph

About Pelvic Health

Pelvic health physiotherapy is a specialized form of therapy that focuses on the muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues of the pelvic region. For women who are expecting or have recently given birth, this type of physiotherapy can be incredibly beneficial in addressing issues like pelvic pain, incontinence, and recovery from childbirth. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and tools to enhance your pelvic health, support your body during and after pregnancy, and promote overall well-being. With personalized assessments and targeted exercises, we aim to help you regain strength and confidence, making your journey through motherhood more comfortable and fulfilling.

How can pelvic health physio help expecting mothers?

Pelvic health physiotherapy offers invaluable support for pregnant women, helping to ease the physical changes that come with this transformative journey. As your body adapts to accommodate your growing baby, you may experience discomfort, pelvic pain, or changes in bladder and bowel function.

Benefits Include:

  • Prevent or reduce pelvic pain: Helps manage low back pain, SI joint pain, and pubic symphysis pain—common during pregnancy.

  • Prepare for labor and delivery: Learn techniques to relax and control pelvic muscles to assist with pushing and minimizing tearing.

  • Prevent incontinence: Strengthening and coordination of pelvic floor muscles can reduce the risk of leaking urine or stool during or after pregnancy.

  • Support posture and core: Addresses changes in body mechanics and posture to help with balance and comfort.

How can pelvic health physio help you after birth?

Pelvic health physiotherapy is a gentle and supportive resource for mothers in the weeks and months following childbirth. After giving birth, your body undergoes significant changes, and you may experience discomfort, pelvic pain, or challenges with bladder control. A pelvic health physiotherapist can help you navigate these adjustments with compassion and care. Through tailored exercises and techniques, we aim to strengthen your pelvic floor, promote healing, and restore your core stability. Our approach focuses on nurturing your body while providing you with practical tools to manage any discomfort. This supportive journey not only aids your recovery but also empowers you to embrace your new role as a mother with confidence and comfort, ensuring you feel your best as you bond with your little one.

Benefits Include:

  • Restore pelvic floor function: Helps with muscle recovery, healing from tearing, episiotomy, or C-section.

  • Address incontinence and prolapse: Supports the retraining of bladder/bowel control and helps manage or prevent pelvic organ prolapse.

  • Scar mobilization: For those with perineal or C-section scars, therapy can reduce pain, tightness, or adhesions.

  • Core strengthening: Rehab includes abdominal wall recovery (e.g., for diastasis recti) to rebuild strength and stability.

How can pelvic health physio help during menopause

When women reach menopause the body, including the pelvis changes due to fluctuations in hormones, namely a reduction in estrogen.  Lower levels of this hormone can result in some unpleasant symptoms.   Bone and bladder health are two areas of key consideration during this time.  Our team can assist women restore their bladder function and optimize overall mobility through strategies to prevent functional decline.

Benefits Include:

  • Counteract muscle weakening: Hormonal changes, especially lower estrogen, can weaken pelvic tissues—therapy can restore strength and tone.

  • Manage incontinence: Addresses stress and urge incontinence, which are more common post-menopause.

  • Improve sexual health: Can help with painful intercourse (dyspareunia) and increased vaginal dryness or tightness through manual therapy and exercises.

  • Support pelvic organ positioning: Helps manage or prevent pelvic organ prolapse, a condition more likely after menopause.

Pelvic Health Referred Fitness

These appointments are an extension of your physio rehab plan and referred to and monitored by your Pelvic Health Physiotherapist. As such they can be covered by your Physiotherapy extended health benefits.
$226 for 6 classes

Also available as a 1:1 class if more flexibility and tailored care is preferred.

Pfilates
with Shannon Clutton-Carr

MONDAYS and THURSDAYS

The WOMB offers Pelvic Floor Pilates (Pfilates) classes to women who have been referred by our pelvic health physiotherapists for additional exercise therapy to restore the pelvic floor and/or diastasis recti.

Call to Book

What to Expect in a Session

A pelvic floor physiotherapist may:

  • Assess internal and external pelvic muscles (with your consent).

  • Teach breathing techniques, Kegels, or reverse Kegels (relaxation).

  • Offer manual therapy for muscle tension or scar tissue.

  • Provide a customized exercise plan for strength, relaxation, or coordination.

Get to know our Pelvic Health Physiotherapists!

Shannon Clutton Carr

  • Shannon joins The WOMB Guelph with nearly 15 years of clinical practice in orthopedics, sports injuries, and pelvic health physiotherapy. She rostered with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario in the area of pelvic floor physiotherapy in 2018 and has honed a clinical focus on peri-natal and peri-menopausal health. Her specific clinical interests include chronic low back or hip pain, dyspareunia/painful penetration, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and fecal incontinence, bladder or bowel urgency, pregnancy-related pain conditions, labour and delivery prep, and post-partum recovery and conditioning.

    Shannon is passionate about the biopsychosocial aspects of women’s health and creating a community of women helping women. She firmly believes in honouring matrescence and all it has to offer. She uses education and movement to empower and inspire other mothers to connect to themselves and create a healthy body and mind even while in the throes of major life transition.

    Shannon has successfully built and grown a clinical Pilates program that incorporates full body strengthening, postural control, breath work, and lumbopelvic/core strengthening that pairs beautifully with pelvic floor rehabilitation. She is STOTT Pilates mat and reformer trained since 2011 and continues to teach regularly in the community at local fitness studios and the University of Guelph.

    Shannon recently added the assessment and treatment of infant feeding-related concerns to her repertoire of care. She works with parents to assess and treat common musculoskeletal issues associated with tongue/lip tie, poor latching, mastitis, torticollis, and more. She is continuing to develop this skill set and is excited to be able to co-treat with the lactation and feeding team at The WOMB.

    In 2022, she started peer facilitating virtual support groups for bereaved parents. She has spent many years learning about trauma recovery and navigating life after pregnancy loss at any stage. As a bereaved mother who has also experienced pregnancy after loss herself, she creates a safe space for bereaved mothers to experience trauma-informed pelvic health care. She continues to develop her physiotherapy practice through a trauma-informed lens and collaborates with the network of empathetic practitioners at The WOMB Guelph to help bereaved parents in need of whole body care.

    Shannon grew up dancing ballet in Guelph. Her physical activity is now centered on fitting in Peloton workouts when she can while juggling a busy lifestyle with her young family. She loves reading, movies, good coffee, and baking.

Emma Bonafiglia

  • Emma is a Registered Physiotherapist who practices Pelvic Health, Paediatric, and Orthopaedic Physiotherapy. She completed her Honours Bachelor in Kinesiology at McMaster University followed by her Masters of Science in Physical Therapy at Queens University. Emma has since completed advanced training in pelvic health and is rostered with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario to perform internal pelvic exams.

    She provides support for a variety of pelvic health concerns including: bladder and bowel concerns (urinary incontinence, urgency, frequency, fecal incontinence, constipation), pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic girdle pain, persistent low back pain, hip, and tailbone pain, painful intercourse, and diastasis rectus abdominus. Emma also supports women throughout pregnancy, in preparation for labour and birth, and postpartum.

    Emma also works with the paediatric population treating infants, children and youth, with bowel and bladder concerns. This can include things such as constipation, bladder or bowel leaks, recurrent UTI’s, nighttime bedwetting, troubles with potty training, dysfunctional voiding, and more!

    Outside of work, Emma loves to be active! She can be found running, figure skating, hiking, or doing strength and pilates classes. She also enjoys baking, organizing, and continuously learning!

Jessica Moretto

  • Jessica is a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist who graduated from McMaster University. She has a passion for pelvic health, and is dedicated to ongoing education. She strives to empower clients with the knowledge and tools needed to optimize their health and well-being.

    Jessica has taken courses to practice pelvic health physiotherapy, including attaining her level 1 (bowel and bladder disorders), level 2 (pelvic pain), and level 3 (biopsychosocial care) training.

    Outside of work, Jessica enjoys cooking, baking, volunteering, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and spending time with family and friends.