FAQ's
General FAQs
What services does Thrive Physiotherapy offer?
At Thrive Physiotherapy in Sheffield, we specialise in helping women take charge of their pelvic health and overall wellbeing. Here’s how we can support you:
1:1 Physiotherapy Services
Our personalised physiotherapy sessions are tailored to help women overcome challenges like incontinence, bladder issues, pelvic floor dysfunction, pain, and injury rehabilitation. We focus on restoring confidence and improving quality of life through expert care.
We provide soothing Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage to promote recovery, reduce swelling, and enhance overall health. MLD is particularly beneficial post liposuction surgery.
Our group exercise classes offer a supportive, fun environment to strengthen your pelvic floor. Designed specifically for women, these sessions integrate a whole-body approach to address leaks, prolapse symptoms, and pelvic health concerns while rebuilding strength and confidence.
Where Can I Find Thrive Clinics?
Thrive Physiotherapy offers clinic-based services and pelvic strength exercise classes across two convenient locations in Sheffield:
Clinic Locations:
416b Sharrow Vale Rd, Sharrow, Sheffield S11 8ZP
Unit 6, Rutland Business Park, 50 Rutland Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8BD
TRIB3 Gym, Sheffield
Made to Move Gym, Unit 6, Rutland Business Park, 50 Rutland Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8BD
Do I need a referral to book an appointment?
No, you don’t need a referral to access Thrive Physiotherapy services. You can book directly through our website or by emailing us at hello@thrive-physiotherapy.co.uk.
What happens at my first appointment?
- Detailed Discussion: Your therapist will ask questions to explore your symptoms, their impact on your daily life, your body’s history, and any past injuries that might influence your current condition. This helps us understand your goals—what you want to get back to doing and why it’s important to you.
- Movement & Muscle Assessment: A thorough evaluation of how your body and muscles move will be conducted to see how your pelvic floor integrates with your body as a whole.
- Clear Explanation: We’ll explain our findings in an easy-to-understand way, so you’re fully informed about what’s going on and why.
- Personalised Therapy Plan: Together, we’ll create a tailored treatment plan. You’ll know exactly what to expect from your sessions, what your rehabilitation will involve, and get an estimate of how many sessions you may need.
- Precise Exercises: At Thrive, we believe less is more when it comes to exercises. You’ll leave with no more than two precise, targeted exercises to maximise your recovery without feeling overwhelmed.
What should I bring to my first appointment?
To ensure we can provide the best care, please bring along any documents related to your previous medical therapy or treatments, including details of any current medications.
Will I need to undress?
Will I have to have an internal/vaginal exam?
How many physiotherapy appointments will I need?
How much does a physiotherapy appointment cost?
Pelvic Floor FAQs
What is pelvic health physiotherapy?
Pelvic health physiotherapy is a specialist area of physiotherapy that focuses on and helps with any problems in and around your pelvic area. This includes your pelvic floor—a group of muscles that play a vital role in bladder, bowel, and sexual function, as well as core strength and balance.
How do I know if I have problems with my pelvic floor?
Your pelvic floor is made up of muscles that support important parts of your body like your bladder, bowel, and uterus (if you have one). When these muscles don’t work as they should, it can cause a few common issues that affect your everyday life.
- Leaking wee/urine (incontinence): This can happen when you laugh, sneeze, cough, or exercise.
- A feeling of heaviness or pressure: It may feel like something is weighing down in your lower tummy, between your legs or in your pelvic area.
- Trouble with bowel movements: This could mean feeling constipated or not being able to empty your bowel fully.
- A strong need to wee: You might feel like you need to rush to the toilet out of the blue, or you can’t hold it in very well.
- Pain or discomfort: You might feel pain in your pelvic area, around your vagina, lower back, or during sex.
- Feeling weak during exercise: If you’re struggling to feel strong, your balance is all over the place, or your hips feel tight during physical activities, it could be a sign.
Are pelvic floor exercises (Kegels) enough to stop leaking?
Pelvic floor exercises/Kegels are a great starting point for strengthening your pelvic floor muscles and can certainly help reduce leaking in many cases. However, they aren’t always enough on their own. For many women, a more holistic approach works best.
Can pelvic health physiotherapy help with prolapse?
Yes, pelvic health physiotherapy can absolutely help with prolapse!
How do I know if I need pelvic floor physiotherapy?
If you’re wondering whether pelvic floor therapy could help you, here are some signs that may indicate it’s time to seek support:
- Leaking urine: If you find yourself leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise, this may be a sign that your pelvic floor muscles need strengthening.
- Pelvic pressure or heaviness: A feeling of pressure or heaviness in your pelvic area could suggest pelvic organ prolapse, which pelvic health physiotherapy can help manage.
- Difficulty with bowel movements: Struggling with constipation or feeling like you can’t fully empty your bowels may be related to pelvic floor dysfunction.
- Pain during sex: If you experience pain or discomfort during sex, pelvic floor therapy can help by addressing any tightness or weakness in the pelvic muscles.
- Lower back, pelvic or hip pain: Persistent pain in your lower back, hips, or pelvic area, especially after physical activity, can be a sign of pelvic floor dysfunction.
- Antenatal, Post-pregnancy or menopause concerns: During pregnancy, after giving birth or during menopause, changes to your pelvic floor are common. If you’re experiencing any symptoms like leaking, pain, or pelvic pressure, pelvic health physiotherapy can offer a tailored approach to help you recover.
Pelvic Strength Exercise Classes FAQs
What are pelvic strength classes?
Pelvic strength classes at Thrive Physiotherapy are designed to help improve the strength and mobility of your pelvic floor muscles in a fun, supportive, and friendly environment. These classes are perfect for anyone looking to improve their pelvic health, whether you’re experiencing symptoms like leaks or just want to strengthen and optimise your core and pelvic floor muscles.
Who are these classes for?
Pelvic strength classes at Thrive Physiotherapy are designed for anyone looking to improve their pelvic health and overall well-being. These classes are particularly beneficial for:
- Women experiencing leaks (incontinence): Whether you experience leakage when laughing, sneezing, or exercising, these classes can help you strengthen your pelvic floor and regain control.
- New mums: These classes help support postnatal recovery by focusing on rebuilding strength and flexibility. Please note, you must be 12 weeks post-partum in order to start the class.
- Women in peri or post menopause: Hormonal changes during menopause can affect pelvic health, and these classes can be a great way to prevent or manage symptoms like pelvic pressure or leaks.
- Anyone with pelvic pain or pressure: If you’re experiencing discomfort or pressure in the pelvic area, these classes can help address these issues by strengthening and increasing the flexibility of the pelvic floor muscles.
- Those looking to improve core strength: A strong pelvic floor is essential for overall core strength, so anyone wanting to improve their posture or movement patterns will benefit.
Do I need to be fit to join a class?
No, you don’t need to be fit to join our pelvic strength classes! These classes are designed to be accessible to women of all fitness levels, whether you’re new to pelvic floor exercises or already have some experience. The focus is on building strength gradually, in a way that suits your body and your needs.
What should I bring to a pelvic strength class?
- Comfortable clothes you can move around in and get a little sweaty—think leggings, sportswear, or anything that allows you to stretch and move freely.
- A gym mat: This is important for comfort during floor exercises and stretches.
- Water: Staying hydrated is key, especially when you’re working on strengthening and moving your muscles!
How much do the Pelvic Strength classes cost?
- Comfortable clothes you can move around in and get a little sweaty—think leggings, sportswear, or anything that allows you to stretch and move freely.
- A gym mat: This is important for comfort during floor exercises and stretches.
- Water: Staying hydrated is key, especially when you’re working on strengthening and moving your muscles!
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) FAQs
What is Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage?
Lymphatic drainage massage is a gentle, therapeutic treatment designed to stimulate the lymphatic system, which plays a key role in removing waste and toxins from the body. This massage technique uses light, rhythmic strokes to encourage the movement of lymph fluid, improving circulation and helping to reduce swelling, inflammation, and fluid retention.
What do I need to wear to my Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage appointment?
How much does a Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage appointment cost?
At Thrive Physiotherapy, we offer a range of pricing options for Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) massage to suit your needs:
- 1-hour session: £60
- 5-hour session: £90
- 6-session block: £330 (a great way to commit to regular treatments while saving money!)
Booking & Policies FAQs
How do I book an appointment or class?
Book easily via our website’s online booking page here or contact us directly at hello@thrive-physiotherapy.co.uk.
What is your cancellation policy?
We understand that life can sometimes get in the way, so if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, we kindly ask for at least 24 hours’ notice. This allows us to offer the appointment time to others who may need it.
Are your services covered by insurance?
At Thrive Physiotherapy, we currently do not work directly with insurance companies. However, depending on your policy, some insurance providers may reimburse you for the cost of treatment. We recommend checking with your insurer to see if they offer coverage for physiotherapy services and if they will reimburse you for the treatment you receive.
Do you offer home appointments?
Do you offer online consultations?
- At Thrive Physiotherapy, we don’t offer virtual consultations, as we believe the best way to provide personal and tailored care is through in-person sessions. We feel that being able to assess you directly, understand your specific needs, and work with you face-to-face allows us to deliver the most effective treatment.