Pelvic Floor Recovery

Book reviews

We have received many letters and emails since I wrote my first book back in 2011. I have included just a few of the comments and reviews.

Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgery by Professor Hannah Krause MBBS FRANZCOG CU MPhil

It is with pleasure that I write this to encourage women to actively participate in their own pelvic floor recovery and to congratulate Sue on publishing the 4th edition of Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy  for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgery. I anticipate that this updated version of Pelvic Floor Recovery will continue to inform, educate and encourage women to improve their pelvic floor function and quality of life.Sue’s earlier editions have been read and studied by countless women, including many of my own patients, since first published in 2011. Pelvic Floor Recovery is an informative and a very practical handbook which guides women in understanding their diagnosis of pelvic floor dysfunction and gives advice on pelvic floor rehabilitation. Pre and post operative physiotherapy management and an emphasis on how to protect the pelvic floor during daily activities and exercise are important concepts to help minimize the progression and recurrence of pelvic floor problems.

As a urogynaecologist, I advocate a team approach to optimize the outcomes of women suffering with pelvic floor dysfunction. I do recommend all women consult with a pelvic floor physiotherapist to instruct them on pelvic floor rehabilitation and to actively pursue the positive conservative management options contained in Sue’s book.

This 4th edition includes additional information and an update on recent research on prolapse and also includes Sue’s innovative acronym ‘PIPES’ as an assessment tool in pelvic floor dysfunction. I anticipate that this updated version of Pelvic Floor Recovery will continue to inform, educate and encourage women to improve their pelvic floor function and quality of life.

Beckenbodenrehabilitation – Physiotherapie für Gynäkologische und Kolorektale Chirurgieby Alexandra Schäfer. BeckenBalance Physiotherapie, Deutschland

Sues Buch „Beckenbodenrehabilitation“ enthält viele Informationen zur Vorbereitung auf gynäkologische und proktologische Operationen sowie die Rückkehr zur Aktivität und Sport danach. Außerdem werden alle wichtigen Strategien für die Vorbeugung und die konservative Behandlung von Beckenbodendysfunktion, Senkung, Blasen- und Darmproblemen ausführlich beschrieben. Das Buch ist handlich, einfach zu lesen und es gibt viele praktische Tipps. In der englischsprachigen Version ist es schon seit über zehn Jahren ein unschätzbarer Ratgeber für Betroffene, Interessierte und Fachleute. Es freut mich ganz besonders, dass es nun auch auf deutsch erhältlich ist.

Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgeryby Jenny Burrell, Burrell Education, UK.

There are literally a handful of books that I constantly refer to and share with students and clients and Sue’s ‘Pelvic Floor Recovery’ is one of them. THIS is the information that I wish I’d had before and recovering after my own hysterectomy. THIS is the information that I wish I’d had to help me understand the short and long term self-care for my pelvic health. THIS is the book that I personally gift to all my clients who are recovering from a pelvic surgery. It’s simple, easy to digest and an essential for both professionals and the woman who just wants to know more and needs ‘the science made simple’ and ACTIONABLE!

Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgeryby Associate Professor Christopher Maher, Urogynaecologist.

I am delighted to endorse Sue Croft’s book. Having known Sue for fifteen years as a passionate, articulate and innovative pelvic floor physiotherapist and women’s health advocate. As surgical innovations in continence and prolapse surgery have surged over the last decade, it is timely that this guide will formalise the peri-operative information that has previously been given on an ad-hoc basis by Gynaecologists, Urologists, Colorectal Surgeons, Continence Nurses and Physiotherapists.

This timely book will be a valuable adjunct to all women undergoing repair surgery as we all work towards maximising the short and long term outcomes of surgical interventions for pelvic floor dysfunction. The tips and pearls of wisdom cover pre-operative preparation, in hospital and early and late post-operative periods that have been gleaned from over twenty years of Sue’s interactions with thousands of women undertaking the journey towards improved pelvic floor function. On behalf of us all, I would like to thank Sue for sharing her experience and wisdom.

Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgeryby Dr Anne Poulsen PhD, BOccThy(Hons).

This book is full of practical wisdom and knowledge. Sue shares her vast experience in a clear, well-illustrated, user-driven guide that will resonate with women of all ages. It is a wonderful synthesis of a vast array of preventive physiotherapy techniques and advice. I believe that this is essential reading prior to pelvic floor surgery. It also provides an invaluable, scientifically founded prescription for ongoing pelvic floor wellness throughout life.

Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgery’ Book Review in New Zealand Physiotherapy Newsletter March 2012 by Jill Wood Dip.Phys (1979), Post Grad. Cert. Continence & Pelvic Floor Rehab. (2005) Melbourne. National Women’s Health, Auckland District Health Board.

This handy little book has over 50 illustrations and 136 pages packed with information for women undergoing gynaecological repair surgery. It is skilfully written, easy to understand with so much more than pre- and post-operative advice.

All the bases are covered including breathing, posture, pelvic floor & transverse abdominal exercise, bladder and bowel management, prolapse, sexual function, travel advice, home recovery with specific advice for the first 6-12 weeks and beyond. The chapter on safe abdominal and general pelvic floor safe exercise has clear illustrations leaving no doubt of the author’s intent.

I was delighted Sue had included a short chapter on chronic pelvic pain with mention several times throughout the book of “over tightening” the abdominals and pelvic floor if chronic pelvic pain is an issue.

I can highly recommend this wonderful book for patients undergoing surgery to provide detailed guidelines for recovery as well as assisting in maximizing their short and long term outcomes.

Women’s Health Physiotherapists will find this book a welcome addition to their personal library and excellent reference manual.

‘Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgeryby Dr John Chenoweth. MB, BS (QLD), FRCOG, FRANZCOG Brisbane Gynaecologist

Sue, Congratulations on your book ‘Pelvic Floor Recovery’. I am most impressed with its content and I will be delighted to recommend it to all of my patients. I’ll ask them to look up your website to purchase it.

It is certainly very useful and unique help. I have read it through and thoroughly approve of the way you have dealt with things in it. 

Thank you for writing it and I wish you all the best as an author.

Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgeryby Mr Barry Cahill. CEO, Continence Foundation of Australia.

Congratulations again Sue for a great and affordable resource on behalf of all Australians needing or having had Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgery.

Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgery by Dr A. N. Astill. MB, BS (QLD), FRCOG FRANZCOG Brisbane Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

Sue, many, many thanks for your book. I was actually flying to Melbourne within a couple of days of its arrival so I had a good look through the book on the flight. I think it is wonderful and is very clearly set out and very “readable”.

Frankly I do not think anything is so poignant as the very first sentence or heading in the introduction, saying: “Let’s make sure your first op is your best op and hopefully your last op”. I think this sums up a very long story in one sentence. There is so much complexity of management to try and attain this very goal and I think at times certainly as clinicians we can easily lose our way in the urogynaecological jungle.

I found it a lovely book and would certainly highly recommend it to my patients. What I will probably do is order some on-line and my patients going for surgery will be given the opportunity of  buying it, as I will keep some here in the office.

I look forward to feedback from my patients who I am sure will find this book very practical.

‘Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgery’ by Jackie T Woodbury MN USA

This book is amazing, and not just for women recovering from surgery. Everything is explained so well. I understand my body better. It will help keep me out of trouble and explains things I previously didn’t understand or know who to ask. Every woman should read this. I’m so grateful to have this information and I wish I’d known it as a young woman. Thank you so much for this book.

Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgeryby Tricia P Brisbane, Australia.

I, and a few other friends were gifted your book. I just wanted to tell you how superbly presented and absolutely appreciated it is, for it’s down to earth approach.

18 months after the birth of our 2nd baby, I needed a very large repair of bowel, bladder and uterus, my surgeon did not put me in touch with any information, nor was a Physiotherapist ever mentioned,  I had a huge struggle post surgery and into the future.

 So Sue, you have really left a legacy and no doubt you have, and will continue to assist very many people, so indeed congratulations, for the care, time, and effort it would have taken to produce such a fine professional book, I certainly expect Doctors and libraries, to firmly embrace it as well.

Thank You and continuing very best wishes for your future

Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgeryhttp://www.stressnomore.co.uk/pelvic-floor-recovery-a-physiotherapy-guide-91761-reviews.html#customer-reviews

This should be required reading for all women having a hysterectomy. My friend bought it for me after her operation and it has not left my side, it has been a source of both comfort and inspiration in my weeks of recuperation and I highly recommend it. If anything I feel sad that I have had to get this information not from the nursing staff but from a book, it should be a BUPA standard issue. I had complications following the surgery and I felt at an all-time low, but this book has been some help to me. I think it has helped me to realise that I have had major surgery and it has helped me to understand what has happened to my body, how my body and life has changed and what to expect moving forward. Realistically though the book has been a support – informative and helpful – if I had my chance again I would not have had a hysterectomy. I feel bereft and my husband cannot handle my tearfulness. I had hoped that the operation would make me feel better but it has been a drastic mistake – I wish I had looked at alternative ways of handling my prolapse because I don’t think it was that bad, and I think that I could have kept it as it was and stopped it getting worse. I feel that the operation was made light of, and I now wonder if I wasn’t cajoled into surgery because it was funded privately. I’ll never know, but Sue Croft has been an inspiration and I know I have to make the best of this situation. Great book, awful op.

Pelvic Floor Essentials by Dr Irmina Nahon. PhD. Assistant Professor in Physiotherapy, University of Canberra.

I am pleased to provide the foreword for this book. Since Sue Croft’s first publication “Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Repair Surgery”, I have looked for a book to use for those women who did not need or indeed were trying to avoid surgery. “Pelvic Floor Essentials” fills that need.

Many women find themselves faced with the effect of pelvic floor muscle damage after childbirth. Others develop bladder control issues through other causes, and find that the generic pelvic floor exercises do not work for them. The consequences of incontinence, prolapse, and pelvic pain can severely influence lifestyle and work. Information on how to manage incontinence is frequently limited to pelvic floor muscle or ‘Kegel’ exercises. Whilst these are important, there is much more to good bladder control than the pelvic floor muscles.

Women, who have damaged pelvic floor muscles, need to learn about posture, abdominal muscles, prolapse prevention, and good bladder and bowel habits. This book brings together all the essential factors of bladder control, fluid management and bowel function, including prolapse, sexual function in a way that is clear, with a practical and focused approach to the problems women experience.  Like in her first book, Sue has included practical advice and tips in highlighted sections making this a very easy read for all women as well as a practical resource for clinicians.

Well done Sue!

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