Period Pain Program

We start by understanding your period pain and how it affects you.

Your physiotherapist will take a detailed history, looking at your symptoms throughout your menstrual cycle, what makes them better or worse, and how they impact your work, study, exercise, relationships and everyday life.

We’ll also screen for bladder and bowel symptoms, which can commonly occur alongside pelvic pain.

Together, we’ll identify your goals and develop a plan for your treatment.

You’ll learn:

• Some of the potential contributors to period pain

• Why your symptoms may change throughout your cycle

• Practical strategies to begin managing your symptoms

You’ll take home:

• A personalised plan and treatment priorities

• A better understanding of your period pain

• Practical strategies to start managing your symptoms

Your pelvic floor muscles are an important part of your pelvic health and they can play a role in pelvic and period pain.

In this session, we’ll explore the relationship between your pelvic floor and your symptoms. Your pelvic floor can be assessed in several ways, including using real-time ultrasound, with a probe placed externally on your lower abdomen.

Depending on your individual needs, we may work on pelvic floor awareness, relaxation, coordination or strengthening.

You’ll learn:

• How your pelvic floor may contribute to period pain

• How to recognise tension and relaxation in your pelvic floor

• How to correctly relax or activate your pelvic floor muscles

You’ll take home:

• A personalised pelvic floor program

• Strategies to relax, strengthen or improve awareness of your pelvic floor

Pain doesn’t always arrive at a convenient time. This session is about building your own personalised pain flare kit so you have strategies ready when symptoms hit.

We’ll explore different ways to help manage pain and discuss the relationship between stress, the nervous system and pain.

We’ll also look at the people around you and how building the right support team can make managing period pain easier.

You’ll learn:

• How heat, TENS, massage and acupressure may help manage pain

• How breathing, relaxation, mindfulness and meditation can influence pain

• How stress can affect your pain experience

• How friends, family and other health professionals can support you

You’ll take home:

• Your own personalised pain management toolkit

• Practical strategies to use during a flare

• Referrals to other health professionals where appropriate

When you have period pain, it can be tempting to stop everything. But finding the right balance between movement and rest can be an important part of managing symptoms.

We’ll assess your spine, hips and core, including strength, coordination, mobility and movement patterns.

Then we’ll work together to find ways to keep you moving while respecting what your body needs.

You’ll learn:

• How to pace activities when your symptoms are heightened

• Exercise modifications that may make movement more comfortable

• Stretches and exercises that may help settle your symptoms

• How to adapt your exercise throughout different phases of your cycle

You’ll take home:

• A personalised exercise program

• Pacing strategies for everyday activities

• Exercise modifications to help you stay active

Your bladder, bowel and reproductive organs all share a small space—and they don’t always operate independently.

This session explores the “crosstalk” within your pelvis and how bladder and bowel function may interact with pelvic and period pain.

We’ll discuss your bladder and bowel habits and, where appropriate, reassess your pelvic floor and progress your personalised program.

You’ll learn:

• How your bladder, bowel and uterus can influence one another

• What healthy bladder habits look like

• What healthy bowel habits look like

• How optimising bladder and bowel function may help your overall pelvic health

You’ll take home:

• Practical strategies to optimise your bladder and bowel health

• Progressions to your pelvic floor program

• A clearer understanding of how your pelvic organs work together

The final three sessions are about turning everything you’ve learned into a plan you can actually maintain.

Your physiotherapist will check in with you as you put your strategies into practice and make longer-term changes.

We’ll troubleshoot anything that isn’t working, adapt your plan as your symptoms change and progress your exercise and pelvic floor program where appropriate.

By the end of the program, our goal is for you to feel more confident, more informed and better equipped to manage your period pain long term.

These sessions may include:

• Reviewing your symptoms and progress

• Troubleshooting challenges

• Progressing your exercise program

• Refining your pelvic floor strategies

• Adjusting your pain management toolkit

• Supporting long-term lifestyle changes

• Developing your ongoing self-management plan