Bayside Health Service Senior Physiotherapist Zoe Hill is encouraging women to take a small but important step towards better pelvic health by starting the conversation.
The message aligns with this year’s Women’s Health Week theme, ‘Do it anyway’, which Zoe says is particularly relevant for women who may be hesitant to seek help for pelvic health concerns.
“Seeking early intervention and treatment can often help significantly in improving quality of life for women,” Zoe said.
Zoe’s passion for Women’s Health began during her physiotherapy studies, when a placement introduced her to pelvic floor rehabilitation.
“I was fortunate to have a Women’s Health placement which opened my eyes to the world of rehabilitation and the pelvic floor,” she said.
“Seeing great results from patients, improving their quality of life and, most importantly, empowering women made me want to further pursue Women’s Health.”
Since joining Bayside Health Service, Zoe has continued to build her expertise, including working across the maternity ward at Karragarra and completing an extensive Pelvic Health upskilling program.
She was also awarded a Women’s and Girl’s Health Scholarship, enabling her to complete further Australian Physiotherapy Association Pelvic Health courses and strengthen the evidence-based care she provides.
“The scholarship has allowed me to further solidify my knowledge and skills to provide our Women’s Health service patients with up-to-date, evidence-based, excellent healthcare,” Zoe said.
Zoe says one of the biggest barriers to women seeking care is stigma, with about one in three women not seeking treatment for issues such as urinary leakage, prolapse and pelvic pain.
She wants to challenge the idea that women should simply accept these symptoms as a normal part of life.
“Breaking down the generational stigma of teaching women to just ‘live with it’ and ‘that’s normal’ will be my ultimate goal,” Zoe said.
“I want women to know that they don’t necessarily have to live with these symptoms and that physiotherapy can play an important role in helping them.”
This Women’s Health Week, Zoe’s message is simple: start the conversation, seek support and do it anyway.