Sports Medicine Pelvic Floor
and the
About the book
Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor: Science to Practice shines a spotlight on a critical but often overlooked aspect of female athlete health: the pelvic floor. Bringing together the expertise of international clinicians and researchers, this book highlights persistent gaps in knowledge and practice, offering valuable direction for future research. It educates professionals on how to effectively screen, treat, and rehabilitate athletes, emphasizing that pelvic floor dysfunction can profoundly impact engagement, athletic performance, and overall well-being. By addressing this traditionally taboo subject, the authors provide evidence-based insights that call for the pelvic floor to be considered as essential in sports medicine.
Sections discuss practical strategies for screening and supporting athletes, managing or alleviating symptoms, and ensuring a safe return to sport, all while prioritizing long-term pelvic health. This is an indispensable resource for anyone working with female athletes, blending science and clinical experience to advance care in this vital area.
Who is behind it?
Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor - Science to Practice is a new scientific title initiated by Elsevier and appointed to Gráinne Donnelly as Editor.
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Gráinne Donnelly is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, clinical researcher and international educator from Northern Ireland, UK. She is the current Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy and is pursuing a doctoral research program via Cardiff Metropolitan University. Her research foci include postpartum return to activity and exercise (and particularly running), pelvic floor dysfunction in sport and exercise and diastasis rectus abdominis.
Meet The Team and their Chapters
Behind any great project lies a team. This book would not have been possible without the amazing expert contributors who offered their expertise, experience and research to inform chapters of this book.
1. The pelvic floor is sports medicine
Donnelly, GM
Gráinne M. Donnelly - Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, Clinical Researcher, Educator, Journal Editor, Book Editor
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Dr Jenny LaCross
(PT DPT PhD ATC CLT) is a board- certified clinical specialist in women’s health physical therapy undertaking a postdoctoral research fellowship at University of Michigan – Ann Arbor with the pelvic floor research group.
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2. The female pelvic floor - anatomy, function and the lifespan model
LaCross J, Ashton-Miller J & Delancey JO
Prof. James Ashton-Miller
is the Albert Schultz Collegiate Research Professor Emeritus/a in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. He researches the biomechanics of unintentional injuries having life-long sequelae to better prevent them. His research involves biomechanics, mechanical and biomedical engineering, anatomy, imaging and geriatrics.
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Prof. John O DeLancey MD
is the Norman F. Miller Professor of Gynecology and Professor of Urology at the University of Michigan. In recognition of his pioneering work in discovering the basic mechanisms of pelvic floor disorders, Dr. DeLancey has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine and named an Honorary Fellow ad eundem in the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. For four decades he had an active surgical practice for complex and refractory pelvic floor problems and remains active in research and clinical evaluation of pelvic floor disorders.
Dr Anna Warrener
is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Warrener’s research focuses on the evolution of the human musculoskeletal system using biomechanical techniques to assess how variation in physical structure affects movement. Much of her research has focused on the evolution of the human pelvis and how its unique anatomy impacts both locomotion and human birth. Her research has been featured in several popular press outlets, including The New York Times, BBC, and Runner’s World.
Gráinne M Donnelly
is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, clinical researcher and international educator from Northern Ireland. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy and a doctoral researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She is the Editor of the Scientific Textbook "Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor - Science to Practice"
3. An evolutionary perspective on human pelvic floor function and disorders
Warrener A & Donnelly GM
Katie Harte (PhD)
is a material characterisation technician at Queen's University Belfast in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. She works directly with students to deliver practical education modules along with lab-based material characterisation work. Originally from Dublin, she obtained an undergraduate degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. She then completed an MSc and PhD at Queen's University Belfast in the Biomechanics of Being Born: Characterising Ovine Pelvic Floor Tissue. She has a keen interest in women's health, engineering education and using an engineering skillset to address the lack of research in the pelvic floor.
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4. Biomechanics of childbirth
Harte K & Lennon A
Dr Alex Lennon​
​is a Senior Lecturer for the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Queens University, Belfast. Following a degree in mechanical engineering from University College Dublin, Alex completed his Ph.D. at Trinity College Dublin where he continued to work as a postdoctoral researcher in the Trinity Centre for Bioengineering (TCBE) until joining the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Queen's University Belfast in 2011.
Alex’s research focus is applying experimental and computational approaches to study biological tissues and biomaterials for treatment of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular diseases. Recent research themes include surgical planning and evaluation for orthopeadic joint replacements, bioabsorbable polymers for cardiovascular stents, modification of catheter materials to reduce thrombosis and infection, and pelvic floor muscle injury during childbirth. Alex has collaborated with a range of clinical, academic, and industry partners with the aid of charity, EU, and research council funding.
5. The prevalence and impact of pelvic floor dysfunction on athlete engagement, enjoyment and performance
Dakic, J
Dr Jodie Dakic
is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physiotherapy at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Jodie has over 20 years of clinical experience as a practicing physiotherapist in the fields of sports physiotherapy and women’s health. Jodie has a strong track record of conducting research into pelvic health in exercising women and injury epidemiology/prevention. Jodie is an invited member of the global Hologic Women’s Tennis Association Women's Health Task Force and the Australian Institute of Sports Female Performance Health Initiative Research Reference Group. Jodie is passionate about raising awareness of pelvic health in female athletes.​​
Dr Molly McCarthy-Ryan
is a lecturer in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff. Her research focuses on return to sport and includes female specific focus of female athletes playing Rugby, returning to running postpartum and the lived experience of Endometriosis.
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Dr Megan James​
​(PhD, MSc, BSc) is a researcher from Swansea, Wales who, after a broad background in biomechanics and running, moved into the world of postpartum research. She undertook a PhD investigating return to running postpartum underpinned by a biopsychosocial approach. One of the many aspects of her PhD was centred around the gradual re-loading if the pelvis to facilitate return to running.
6. The hidden strain: pelvic floor dysfunction in athletes - an epidemiological perspective
McCarthy-Ryan M, James M & Moore IS
Dr Izzy Moore
Reader in Human Movement and Sports Medicine at Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK. Her research focuses on running economy, epidemiology and guidance for women participating in sport during and after pregancy.​
7. Surveillance, screening and athlete profiling for pelvic floor dysfunction
Giagio S
Dr Silvia Giagio​​
is a PhD physiotherapist and researcher at the University of Bologna. Her research primarily focuses on pelvic floor health within the field of sports medicine. She has applied her personal and clinical experiences in sports, along with her passion for pelvic floor rehabilitation, to this research area. Currently, she collaborates with World Athletics as research consultant, promoting worldwide initiatives for élite athletes' pelvic health.
Dr Sabine Vesting
is a Clinical Research Fellow funded by the Swedish ALF program and a part-time postdoctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa. She has 10+ years of experience in pelvic floor rehabilitation and researches postpartum recovery, assessment of pelvic floor and abdominal muscle function, and running-induced urinary incontinence. She recently wrote a review on intra-abdominal pressure measurement methods and leads studies on intravaginal devices and postpartum recovery, aiming to improve postpartum and athletic care for individuals with female anatomy.​​
8. Assessment and measurement of the female pelvic floor
Vesting S & McLean L
Dr Linda McLean
is an academic physiotherapist in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa in Canada where she holds the Endowed Chair in Women’s Health Research. Her combined educational background in
physiotherapy and biomedical engineering has been instrumental to the success of her research program on female pelvic health. Her research spans from the development of tools and techniques to measure pelvic floor muscle function to the use of these tools to understand the role of the pelvic floor muscles in pelvic floor disorders, and to randomized controlled trials which advance best practice in the clinical management of female pelvic health conditions. Dr. McLean is ranked among the top 1% of physiotherapy researchers worldwide. She has published over 150 peer reviewed articles.​
9. Differential diagnosis - is it the pelvic floor, the hip or the groin?
McKeever, H
Dr Helen McKeever
is a senior physiotherapist in Aspetar sports medicine hospital with a special interest in the female athlete. She holds a PhD in risk factors for hip and groin pain in athletes.​
Dr Kate Lough
has been a pelvic health physiotherapist for over 30 years, with wide experience in all areas of the speciality, but particular expertise in pelvic organ prolapse including her recent PhD: Making pessary use for prolapse women-centred and evidence-based. Kate led the UK Pessary Guideline Group which produced the first guideline for women and clinicians in pessary use for prolapse in 2021.
Kate has worked in the NHS and in private practice in the UK. Her clinical journey included wider qualifications in rehabilitation counselling, Pilates and she was the first AHP to gain Diplomate status in psychosexual medicine.
In the last 10 years Kate has been active in the leadership and growth of the Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) UK organisation with the aim of future-proofing the speciality and improving access to specialist pelvic health physiotherapy available across the lifespan for men and women with pelvic floor dysfunction.
Dr Gillian Campbell
is a clinical academic physiotherapist at the University of Nottingham where she is a Senior Post-doctoral Research Fellow funded by NIHR School for Primary Research. She works clinically in Derbyshire as a specialist pelvic health physiotherapist. She is the current Research Lead of the organisation of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy, previous Vice-Chair and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy.
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10. Pelvic floor dysfunction - urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse
Campbell, G & Lough, K
11. Pelvic floor dysfunction - gastrointestinal issues impacting the female athlete
Ciracusa, C & Lyons M
Dr Carina Siracusa
is a practicing physical therapist since 2005. She has practiced in the areas of pediatric, neurologic, oncologic, and pelvic floor physical therapy in her tenure as a physical therapist. She currently works in the neurologic rehab department at OhioHealth in Columbus, Ohio, seeing patients of all ages and abilities with pelvic floor dysfunction. She also serves as the oncology rehabilitation coordinator and the wheelchair clinic coordinator in this hospital system. She has been teaching for the Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy since 2010 in the pelvic health series. She has also taught as adjunct clinical faculty at several universities. She has given multiple presentations all over the world on the topics of neurologic and pediatric pelvic health.
Michelle Lyons​ PT, MISCP
is a women’s health physiotherapist and international educator specializing in pelvic and hormonal health, and an integrative approach to persistent pain. With over 30 years of clinical experience, she integrates contemporary pain science, exercise therapy, and lifestyle medicine into evidence-informed rehabilitation for women across the lifespan.
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She has completed advanced continuing education at Trinity College Dublin, University of Galway, University of Arizona, and Harvard Medical School, and provides consulting services & education for clinicians worldwide through her company Celebrate Muliebrity.
Jilly Bond
is an Advanced Practice pelvic health physiotherapist, researcher, and educator with a clinical and academic focus on chronic pelvic pain. She is co-founder of the UK Pelvic Pain Network, which provides professional mentorship alongside research translation and dissemination, with the aim of strengthening the provision of expert, evidence-informed pelvic health physiotherapy for pelvic pain. Jilly is undertaking doctoral research at Brunel University of London in collaboration with Adelaide University, investigating body perception disturbance in pelvic pain. She teaches on the ACP Masters program at Brunel, collaborates on pelvic pain research internationally, and sits on the British Urogynaecology Society AHP committee. Her work is centered on translating research into clinical practice to support evidence-informed pelvic health physiotherapy.
12. Pelvic floor dysfunction - understanding pelvic pain in female athletes
Bond J & Gore K
Katie Gore
graduated as a Physiotherapist in 2008 and subsequently worked in the field of pelvic health physiotherapy since 2010, completing her post graduate certificate in the field and more recently embarking on a PhD. Her thesis aims to achieve a consensus on how to examine the female pelvis in pelvic pain presentations. Pelvic pain is both her clinical and academic passion and so she remains dedicated to the advancement of care and scientific knowledge.
Dr Sula Windgassen
(PhD, CPsychol, MSc, PGDip, BSc)
Health Psychologist, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and EMDR Therapist. Author of "It's all in your body" and founder of "The Health Psychologist".
Dr Alicia Hughes
​is a Health Psychologist and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist whose research and clinical work focus on the psychological factors that influence long-term health and persistent physical symptoms. She completed her PhD at King’s College London and postdoctoral research exploring symptom experience across a range of health conditions, with findings published in peer-reviewed journals.
In clinical practice, Alicia works with diverse populations, including chronic pain, IBS, women’s and pelvic health, and trauma. She uses evidence-based approaches such as CBT and acceptance and commitment therapy to support the mind–body connection, helping people understand and manage the psychological and physical aspects of their symptoms.
13. Psychological considerations for pelvic floor dysfunction and pelvic conditions
Windgassen S & Hughes A
Biljana Kennaway
is a Biljana Kennaway is Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Pelvic Health, clinical researcher, and lecturer from Switzerland and the UK. She is the Assistant Editor of JPOGP and the ICS committee member for Children and Young Adults.
Professor Tim Gabbett
has over 30 years experience working as an applied sport scientist with athletes and coaches from a wide range of sports.
He holds a PhD in Human Physiology and has completed a second PhD in Applied Sport Science, with special reference to physical demands, injury prevention, and skill acquisition.
Tim has worked with elite international athletes over several Olympic Games cycles and continues to work as an advisor for several high performance organizations around the world. Tim has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles and has presented at over 400 national and international conferences. In a recent study of 8 million scientists published in PLoS Biology, Tim was named in the Top 10 most impactful sport scientists of all time.
He is committed to providing ‘real world’ support for coaches and athletes.
14. Load capacity of the pelvic floor
Kennaway B, Gabbett T, Taylor B & Donnelly GM
Bill Taylor
Bill Taylor has been a Physiotherapist for over 40 years. He is a graduate of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapy and has spent most of his career treating the Musculoskeletal System using manual therapy and exercise.
He has over 25 years experience in pelvic health treating both male and female pelvic floor dysfunction. He is widely recognized in the UK & internationally as being a leading pelvic health physios and one of the few who specialize in male pelvic floor dysfunction.
He has a special interest in Chronic Pelvic Floor Pain and Dysfunction and the use of manual and exercise therapy in addressing this condition.
He has taught widely in UK, Europe, Scandinavia & Israel on male and female pelvic health. He has worked with Scottish Ballet and Scottish Dance Theatre for over 20 years. He was integral in the development of a full time Physiotherapy service to the National Ballet after which he continued as Consultant Physiotherapist for a number of years .
He is a Trustee on the board of the Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy Board of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy as well as member of the board of the charity, Prostate Scotland.
He is also currently a Doctoral researcher at Oxford Brookes University where he is studying the effect of movement and exercise in the treatment of male chronic pelvic pain.
Gráinne Donnelly
is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, clinical researcher and international educator from Northern Ireland. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy and a doctoral researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She is the Editor of the Scientific Textbook "Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor - Science to Practice"
Gráinne Donnelly
is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, clinical researcher and international educator from Northern Ireland. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy and a doctoral researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She is the Editor of the Scientific Textbook "Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor - Science to Practice"
Dr. Benton Lindaman
is an assistant professor at Tufts University (Seattle), serving as their primary course director for the clinical neuroscience and neuromuscular practice management courses. Prior to joining Tufts, he served as the course director for the neurological rehabilitation courses at Drexel University. Clinically, he completed his neurological physical therapy residency at Thomas Jefferson University and Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in 2018. He worked as a full-time clinician for Good Shepherd Penn Partners (GSPP) University City in their outpatient site located in Philadelphia from 2018-2023, primarily working with a variety of neurological, orthopedic, and vestibular-related diagnoses. He also served as a clinical instructor. He is recognized by the APTA/Duke University as being vestibular rehabilitation competent. His research agenda is focused on clinical reasoning patterns along with student success within DPT education. Professionally, he has served as the chair of the neurological special interest group for the APTA Pennsylvania Chapter and as a House of Delegate. representative. He currently serves on the Committee of Content Experts (CCE) for the American Board of Physical Therapist Specialist to develop testing questions for the neurological clinical specialty exam.
15. Sports specific considerations for load capacity of the pelvic floor
Donnelly GM, Bassini, E, Casey, E, Christopher, SM, Giagio, S, Leupold, O, Lindaman, B & Solomon, W
Elia Bassini
is a physiotherapist specialized in pelvic floor rehabilitation, a field in which she has been practicing since 2009. She has developed advanced expertise in the assessment and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunctions in female, male, and athletic populations.
Her clinical practice is grounded in evidence-based care, continuous professional development, and a multidisciplinary, person-centered approach.
She is the Founding President of the Pelvic Floor Special Interest Group (GIS) of the Italian Association of Physiotherapists (AIFI) and the founder of the First-Level Master’s Degree in “Physiotherapy of Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions” at the University of Rome Tor Vergata.
She is a member of the Microbiota Committee of the Italian Society of Urodynamics (SIUD) and is actively involved in scientific research, publications, and national and international conferences as both a speaker and participant.
Dr Ellen Casey
is a Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and an Attending Physiatrist at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Her clinical practice focuses on sports medicine and spine disorders with a particular focus on female athletes across the lifespan, including the female athlete triad, relative energy deficiency in sport and post-partum return to sport. As a former collegiate gymnast, she is passionate about caring for all athletes, particularly gymnasts and dancers, and she has served as USA Gymnastics Women's National Team physician since 2019.
Dr Shefali Christopher
PT, DPT, PhD, LAT, ATC serves as the director of admissions and is a core faculty member of the Tufts DPT Seattle program. She is a clinical specialist in sports physical therapy through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. She is an active member of the APTA American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy (AASPT). Christopher has numerous publications and presentations related to her research on returning to sport after childbirth as well as sports and the pelvic floor. In 2020, she was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the AASPT, received the Academy of Pelvic Health Research Grant in 2023, and was awarded the Tufts DPT Research award in 2024. As part of her service, she supports USA paratriathlon at numerous international races and was the medical liaison and physical therapist to the team at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympic games
Olivia Leupold
is a research assistant in the Department of Physiatry at the Hospital for Special Surgery, where she contributes to clinical research in sports medicine, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, and lifestyle medicine.
Dr Silvia Giagio​​
is a PhD physiotherapist and researcher at the University of Bologna. Her research primarily focuses on pelvic floor health within the field of sports medicine. She has applied her personal and clinical experiences in sports, along with her passion for pelvic floor rehabilitation, to this research area. Currently, she collaborates with World Athletics as research consultant, promoting worldwide initiatives for élite athletes' pelvic health.
Weronika Solomon
is a physiotherapist specialized in pelvic floor rehabilitation and pelvic pain management. She completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physiotherapy at the Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in PoznaÅ„ (Poland). She later obtained a postgraduate specialization in Pelvic Floor Disorders at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, where she currently serves as a lecturer within the Master’s Degree Program.
She is co-founder of FISIOMED - Clinica del Movimento, a multidisciplinary medical center based in Italy, where she manages female and male patients with pelvic floor dysfunctions. Her clinical approach integrates musculoskeletal physiotherapy, pelvic health rehabilitation, and persistent pain management, following an evidence-based framework.
Weronika is a Board Member of the Pelvic Floor Special Interest Group (GIS Pavimento Pelvico) within the Italian Association of Physiotherapists (AIFI), actively contributing to the development of clinical standards for pelvic health physiotherapy in Italy.
She is also a member of the Interdisciplinary Committee of SIUD (Italian Society of Urodynamics), collaborating with multidisciplinary healthcare professionals to improve the quality of care for patients with pelvic-perineal disorders.
She regularly participates as a speaker at national and international conferences and delivers professional training courses across Europe. In addition, she organizes private educational programs and collaborates with multiple training providers, offering advanced courses in pelvic floor rehabilitation for physiotherapists and medical doctors, with a strong focus on practical and up-to-date clinical competencies.
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16. Saddle soreness and other genitoperineal complaints in cyclists
Neels, H
Dr Hedwig Neels
works as a pelvic floor expert in her private practice, with various professional cycling teams and at the University Hospital Antwerp , as a guest professor at the University of Antwerp as a lecturer for Women's & Pelvic Health Professionals.
She is the author of the Pelvic Floor Book , a book packed with accessible information and tips, testimonials and illustrations about the female pelvic floor. She pursues
her mission to break the taboo surrounding pelvic floor problems as the founder of The Pelvic Floor, a digital information platform with a handy self-check. She successfully guides athletes with strong expertise in saddle complaints in female and male cyclists.
Dr Marina Petter Rodrigues
is a researcher at the Motor Function & Measurement Lab (MFM Lab) at the University of Ottawa, working on projects focused on urinary incontinence in physically active females. She is a licensed physiotherapist, graduated from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil, with postgraduate training in Pelvic Health Physiotherapy. She holds a specialist title in Women’s Health Physiotherapy from the Brazilian Association of Women’s Health Physiotherapy, as well as a Master’s and PhD in Gynecology and Obstetrics from UFRGS. She completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the MFM Lab, University of Ottawa, Canada.​​
17. High impact exercise and the pelvic floor
Rodrigues, M.P., Thaibault-Gagnon, S. and McLean, L.
Dr Stéphanie Thaibault-Gagnon
Stéphanie is a physiotherapist, researcher, and instructor, with over 15 years of experience in pelvic health physiotherapy. Immediately after obtaining her physiotherapy degree from McGill University in 2007, she dedicated her work to helping women optimize their pelvic health and well-being.
In addition to her clinical practice, Stéphanie received her PhD in Rehabilitation Science from Queen’s University in 2019. Her doctoral research work involved using 3D transperineal ultrasound imaging to help advance our understanding of pelvic floor dysfunction in women with vulvodynia (chronic vulvar pain). She worked with several research teams internationally and collaborated with physiotherapists, urogynecologists, psychologists/sex therapists, and engineers. Her experiences allowed her to understand the importance of a multidisciplinary and biopsychosocial approach for understanding pelvic health problems. She has given over twenty presentations at international and regional conferences, and has received several awards for her research, including awards from the International Pelvic Pain Society and from the National Vulvodynia Association. She has published ten peer-reviewed articles and one textbook chapter. She has developed an expertise on innovative methods for evaluating the pelvic floor such as 3D transperineal ultrasound imaging, genito-pelvic pain in women, childbirth-related pelvic floor trauma such as levator ani avulsion, and biopsychosocial approaches to pelvic health.
Stéphanie is equally passionate about helping women on an individual level as she is about research, transferring knowledge to health professionals and students, and raising public awareness about pelvic health. She has a particular interest for the perinatal period and helping future and new mothers to stay active throughout their pregnancy and resume their physical activities in a safe, effective, and confident manner after giving birth. Website: www.pelvifitphysio.com
Dr Linda McLean
is an academic physiotherapist in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa in Canada where she holds the Endowed Chair in Women’s Health Research. Her combined educational background in physiotherapy and biomedical engineering has been instrumental to the success of her research program on female pelvic health. Her research spans from the development of tools and techniques to measure pelvic floor muscle function to the use of these tools to understand the role of the pelvic floor muscles in pelvic floor disorders, and to randomized controlled trials which advance best practice in the clinical management of female pelvic health conditions. Dr. McLean is ranked among the top 1% of physiotherapy researchers worldwide. She has published over 150 peer reviewed articles.
18. Resistance training and the pelvic floor: evidence, gaps, and clinical implications
Forner, L
Dr Lori Forner
is a pelvic health physiotherapist and clinical educator with over 20 years of experience in exercise and women’s health. She has worked across exercise physiology, obstetrics, gynaecology, and complex pelvic health presentations, combining clinical practice, research, teaching, and sonography training to advance evidence-based care for women.
She completed her PhD at the University of Queensland in 2025, using transperineal ultrasound to investigate pelvic organ support in women who engage in recreational exercise. Her work challenges outdated assumptions and provides clinicians with more nuanced, evidence-informed insights into load tolerance, pelvic organ support, and how women self-manage exercise around prolapse symptoms.
Lori is also the co-host of The Pelvic Health Podcast, known for its warm and conversational style while delivering discussion with leading clinicians and researchers. Her work reflects a commitment to empowering women through evidence, reducing fear-based messaging, and supporting strength and autonomy across all life stages.
Prof Kari Bø
is a trained physical therapist and exercise scientist. Following her PhD (doctor of science) in 1990 and was appointed full academic professor of exercise science in 1997. She was elected pro-rector (vice head) of NIH (a specialized university) 1998-2001 and rector (head) of the NIH 2013-2017. She was the first vice president of the International Organization of Physical Therapists in Women’s Health, WCPT 1999-2007, and has been the vice president of the Norwegian Council for Physical Activity for 8 years, giving direct advice to the Norwegian Minister of Health on physical activity, fitness and health.
Professor Bø has published > 360 peer review scientific papers on pelvic floor dysfunction, treatment of incontinence and low back- and pelvic girdle pain, exercise during pregnancy and after childbirth, diastasis recti abdominis, measurement methodology, fitness and women’s health and has given > 390 invited international keynote presentations worldwide. In 2015, she was awarded with the Mildred Elson Award, the most prestige's international award from the World Confederation of Physiotherapy (WCPT), for her contribution to research and education in pelvic floor function, dysfunction and women's health. In 2016 she was awarded the
International Continence Society Lifelong Achievement Award for her research and education on the pelvic floor and incontinence. In 2019 she was awarded honorary member of the Norwegian Physiotherapy Association for her work for physiotherapy in Norway and worldwide. In 2024 she was awarded by the Norwegian Women’s Public Health Association for the Women’s Health Research Award.
Marte Dobbertin Gram
is a physiotherapist (with a master’s degree in sports physiotherapy) and a PhD candidate at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NSSS). The PhD work, entitled “Overuse injuries, urinary incontinence and menstrual symptoms among Norwegian rhythmic gymnasts and dancers”, is comming to an end with a planned defense in June. With a background as a high-level rhythmic gymnast, she is currently working as the Norwegian rhythmic gymnastics national team’s physiotherapist, in addition to being a researcher".
Dr Kristina Skaug
is a physiotherapist with a PhD from the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences about exercise and the pelvic floor and pelvic floor dysfunctions in athletes. She has broad clinical experience, with specialization in sports medicine, women’s health, and pelvic floor disorders. She teaches courses and lectures on pelvic floor health and exercise during and after pregnancy, and serves on the board of the Women’s Health Group of the Norwegian Physiotherapy Association.
19. Management of pelvic floor dysfunction in the female athlete - the evidence for pelvic floor muscle training and adjunctive devices
Bø, K, Gram MC & Skaug, K
Gráinne Donnelly
is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, clinical researcher and international educator from Northern Ireland. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy and a doctoral researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
20. Adjuncts to pelvic floor muscle training - the application of products and devices
Donnelly, GM, McConochie, N., Rogers, F. & Dufour, S.
Natalie McConochie ​
Nat is a physiotherapist with over 20 years’ experience, including 15 years dedicated exclusively to pelvic health. She began with NSW Health, establishing a pelvic health service at Dubbo Base Hospital, before moving into private practice in 2014 and later founding The Pelvic Health Circle.
Nat has tutored with Women’s Health Training Associates on introductory and pessary pracs, and represented the Australian Physiotherapy Association as physiotherapy advisor to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care during the development of the Clinical Care Standards for 3rd and 4th Degree Perineal Tears. She has also been a keynote speaker at conferences for the Continence Foundation of Australia, the Australian Physiotherapy Association, and the Urogynaecological Society of Australasia, presenting on birth trauma and the associated pelvic floor injuries
Fiona Rogers
is an Australian physiotherapist working in a multidisciplinary pain clinic on the Sunshine Coast , Queensland. She teaches courses on the use of electrical stimulation techniques for pelvic health and has published several peer-reviewed papers on this topic. She is passionate about ensuring that if modalities are to be used, they are done so appropriately and effectively.
Dr Sinéad Dufour
is an Academic Clinician who shares her time between clinical and academic pursuits. Academically, Sinéad is an Associate Professor at McMaster University (Canada) and serves as content expert in perinatal care, pelvic health and pain science with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Her current research interests include conservative approaches to optimize pelvic floor function (including innovative technologies), pregnancy-related pelvic-girdle pain, interprofessional collaborative practice models of service provision to enhance pelvic health and perinatal fitness for elite athletes.
Clinically, Sinéad serves as the Chief Clinical Officer of Compass Rose Pelvic Health, an international virtual physiotherapy company she co-founded, with a mandate to guide clients on their journey to pelvic health creation through a bio-psycho-social-spiritual lens. Sinéad is also a founding partner of The WOMB (World of my Baby) a company with six locations providing Ontarians with optimized perinatal care. Sinéad is a fierce advocate who has and continues to dedicate her time to organizations that aim to improve perinatal care, pain care and pelvic health services including: Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, Canaidan Society of Pelvic Medicine, Pelvic Academy (APTA), Lansinoh International, and Urospot (Canada & UK).
A clinician, researcher, educator, advocate and mother, Sinéad brings experience, credibility and passion into all of her endeavors and is a well-recognized speaker at conferences around the world. Relevant Links:
Fiona Rogers
is an Australian physiotherapist working in a multidisciplinary pain clinic on the Sunshine Coast , Queensland. She teaches courses on the use of electrical stimulation techniques for pelvic health and has published several peer-reviewed papers on this topic. She is passionate about ensuring that if modalities are to be used, they are done so appropriately and effectively.
21. Adjuncts to pelvic floor muscle training - FemTech and the role of virtual care
Rogers, F & Dufour, S
Dr Sinéad Dufour
is an Academic Clinician who shares her time between clinical and academic pursuits. Academically, Sinéad is an Associate Professor at McMaster University (Canada) and serves as content expert in perinatal care, pelvic health and pain science with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Her current research interests include conservative approaches to optimize pelvic floor function (including innovative technologies), pregnancy-related pelvic-girdle pain, interprofessional collaborative practice models of service provision to enhance pelvic health and perinatal fitness for elite athletes.
Clinically, Sinéad serves as the Chief Clinical Officer of Compass Rose Pelvic Health, an international virtual physiotherapy company she co-founded, with a mandate to guide clients on their journey to pelvic health creation through a bio-psycho-social-spiritual lens. Sinéad is also a founding partner of The WOMB (World of my Baby) a company with six locations providing Ontarians with optimized perinatal care. Sinéad is a fierce advocate who has and continues to dedicate her time to organizations that aim to improve perinatal care, pain care and pelvic health services including: Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, Canaidan Society of Pelvic Medicine, Pelvic Academy (APTA), Lansinoh International, and Urospot (Canada & UK).
A clinician, researcher, educator, advocate and mother, Sinéad brings experience, credibility and passion into all of her endeavors and is a well-recognized speaker at conferences around the world. Relevant Links:
22. Pelvic floor considerations for return to performance
Schulz, J
Jenna Schulz
is graduate of the Masters of Physical Therapy/PhD program at Western University, where her research focused on inflammation in knee osteoarthritis. During her studies, she also competed on the Varsity Cross-Country and Track and Field teams at Western, where her interest in female athletes and endurance athletes began. After graduating, she shifted her research and clinical focus to optimizing female athlete health throughout the lifespan, including Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, pelvic floor health and postpartum return to sport. Today, she is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia, where her research combines her expertise in osteoarthritis and female athlete health – focusing on knee injuries in females. Clinically, Jenna pursued a combined sport physiotherapy/postdoctoral fellowship at Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic as the primary physiotherapist for the endurance varsity teams at Western – cross country, track & field, rowing, swimming and cheerleading. She currently works at Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Clinic at Chan Gunn and Jenna also practices pelvic floor physiotherapy. Outside the clinic and the lab, Jenna trains and competes in national-level cross country, track & field and road races, and enjoys cycling and hiking as well.
Rosalyn Cooke
is a specialist physiotherapist with extensive experience in sports injury, rehabilitation, and female athlete health. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy from the University of Birmingham and an MSc in Sports Injury and Rehabilitation from the University of Salford, and is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Birmingham, examining functional performance testing in pre-elite female athletes. She also holds a PGCert in Advanced Practice in Pelvic Health and is a member of the Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) professional network.
Ros has worked in a number of senior roles within elite sport, including positions with the English Institute of Sport, the Football Association (England), and England Netball. Alongside her clinical work, she is a lecturer and module lead in rehabilitation at the UCL Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health.
Clinically, Ros is Lead Physiotherapist at The Active Women’s Clinic, a female athlete–focused service she co-founded, providing holistic care across the female lifespan. She also works as a consultant with elite athletes and teams and is actively involved in research, contributing to publications and presentations in the fields of lower limb rehabilitation and female athlete health.
23. Clinical reasoning - a reasoned call to action?
Cooke, R & Donnelly GM
Gráinne M Donnelly
is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, clinical researcher and international educator from Northern Ireland. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy and a doctoral researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She is the Editor of the Scientific Textbook "Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor - Science to Practice"
Gráinne M Donnelly
is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, clinical researcher and international educator from Northern Ireland. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy and a doctoral researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She is the Editor of the Scientific Textbook "Sports Medicine and the Pelvic Floor - Science to Practice"
24. Conversations with the sports medicine team
Donnelly, GM
Chapter features interviews with:
- Alysia Montaño OLY
- Dr Kate Hutchins
- Sarah Jane McDonnell
- Dr Julie Wiebe
- Dr Carrie Pagliano
- Dr Shefali Christopher
- Martin Loughran
Where can I purchase the book?
The book is available to purchase by all main bookstores worldwide including, but not limited to:
