Jenni Davies

Women's Pelvic Health Physiotherapist

Jenni Davies

MAPA, MACP
MSportsPhys.GradDipPhys
APA Sports and Exs Physiotherapist
Pelvic Health Physiotherapist

Having qualified from Leeds Metropolitan University (UK) in 1992 she has over 30 years clinical experience.  During that time she completed a Graduate Certificate in Sports Physiotherapy from Manchester Metropolitan University (UK, 1999) and a Masters in Sports Physiotherapy with Distinction from Curtin University (AUS) in 2001 together with extensive advanced courses, seminars and conferences in women’s, men’s and pelvic health and treatment and management of the pelvic girdle, hips and groin amongst others.

Jenni is passionate about treatment and management of the pelvis and has focused on this area for many years.  This started during her time working in America, Australia and England as a Sports Physiotherapist (England Men’s Junior and Cadet Volleyball, Company Physiotherapist for Birmingham Royal Ballet), and developed further to encompass the internal aspects of pelvic health after having her own children 18 and 16 years ago.  She now integrates both internal and external pelvic assessment, treatment and management techniques to provide very specific, evidence based, recovery programmes for her clients.   These progress from basic treatment, to return to sport programmes, modified exercise programmes to enable continued participation during the treatment process and tailored technique sessions.  It is a rare occurrence when someone is told to stop exercising completely but their programme may be temporarily modified. It is also a rare occurrence when someone is told they absolutely can’t do something because of a specific diagnosis – it’s all about doing it well.

Traditionally, the pelvis has been an area of the body that has been taboo, with relatively little known about it, even by general Medical and Allied Health Practitioners.  Thankfully this is gradually changing, but there is still has a long way to go to make conversations about pelvic health normal.  Jenni is passionate about translating the latest research into digestible information for the community, to increase awareness of pelvic health issues, and encourage people to seek help, not put up with life changing symptoms in silence.

Her main areas of clinical interest are:

• Pelvic Girdle Pain (including pubis symphysis, sacroiliac, coccygeal and deep gluteal pain) – sport, pregnancy or general
• Hip, Groin and Back pain/dysfunction – especially those that are not responding to standard treatment
• Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction
• Incontinence (bladder and bowel)
• Prolapse (including vaginal pessary fitting)
• Bladder Dysfunction
• Overactive bladder / Urgency
• Pre-/Post-Natal education, treatment and management
• Pre-/Post-Operative care (including prostatectomy, hysterectomy, prolapse repairs)
• Abdominal Separation
• Mastitis
• Deep Core Retraining
• Return To Sport programmes (post-natal, post-operative or otherwise)
• Pelvic Pain (including: vaginissmus, dyspareunia [painful intercourse], vulvodynia, endometriosis)
• Dysynergic Defaecation 

Fun Facts:

How did you get into pelvic physio?

I have had issues with my low back and pelvis since I was a teenager so have always had an interest in treatment and management of this area of the body. As soon as I qualified as a Physio, many years ago, I started taking extra courses in this area of the body and loved to treat it through all my years as a Musculoskeletal and Sports Physio.  My interest in the pelvis deepened (literally) after the difficult birth of my first daughter and the subsequent pelvic health problems that ensued.  At that time a fellow Pelvic Health Physio encouraged me to expand my pelvic treatment to include the internal aspects of pelvic health, so I did, and here we are, 17 years and many advanced courses and hours of study later, treating all aspects of the pelvis, both internal and external, marrying the two aspects together to optimise outcomes for everyone, male and female, young and old.

What are your passions in the field?

I love all aspects of this area of Physiotherapy, it’s challenging, ever changing and continually evolving as more and more research is done.  If I had to choose one favourite though, it would be sport related issues – whether that’s incontinence, prolapse, or pain. Getting people back to what they love, or keeping them doing what they love is one of the most satisfying aspects of my job.

What would you like to see change in the world of pelvic health? 

Education.  Pelvic Health is one of the least understood and researched areas of the body.  For too long it has been either ignored or poorly managed.  Women are still being told to ‘shut up and put up’ with symptoms that can easily be treated, even though they are having a massive negative effect on their quality of life.  Men with pelvic pain are equally poorly managed, especially in the 20-40yr old age group.

As a society, our innate knowledge of pelvic health is very very poor.  I would love to see this change with education starting in teenage years (hence the new launch of our Teenage Pelvic Health Service) and access to Pelvic Health Physio becoming a normal aspect of peri-natal management.

As Pelvic Health Physio’s we are working hard to increase this knowledge, but it takes time to make change.  However, the more it becomes a normal, not taboo, part of everyday conversation, the faster this is going to change – so talk people!!

What to do you in your spare time?

I like to pretend that I’m still 25 years old, and play lots of sport with the young guns.  Unfortunately I’m not, and it takes a whole heap more maintenance to keep playing, so very often you’ll find me (when not on a volleyball court), contorting myself in all sorts of positions to stretch and maintain my body. I have also, more recently, returned to swimming (forced by injury) and am actually starting to really enjoy it.

Besides that, I love hanging out with my kids and friends (I’d say family too but they’re all overseas), going off on camping and travel adventures, listening to live music, and generally enjoying our beautiful Northern Beaches environment.

Quiz questions:

Most inspiring person:

There’s a few including: Barrack Obama, Dr Catherine Hamlin, Nelson Mandela and Pink

Favourite Movie:

The Croods: A New Age

Name your favourite book:

Most recent one is The Lost Bookshop

Which country would you most like to visit:

Many, but most of all I’d love to see the Northern Lights