Advanced Pelvic Health: Clinical Reasoning and Treatments
Move beyond assessment. Refine your clinical reasoning, elevate your treatment skills, and confidently manage more complex pelvic health presentations.
You've learned how to perform pelvic health assessments. Now it's time to understand the deeper clinical reasoning behind your findings and develop the advanced skills that distinguish experienced pelvic health clinicians.
The ADVANCED Course is designed for clinicians who want to move beyond "how" and explore "why". Through advanced assessment techniques, treatment strategies, critical thinking, and complex case discussions, you'll gain the confidence to make better clinical decisions and achieve better outcomes for your patients.
This highly practical course combines evidence-informed teaching, advanced palpation skills, clinical reasoning frameworks, and hands-on treatment approaches to help you take the next step in your pelvic health journey.
Why Take The ADVANCED Course?
Many clinicians can perform an assessment.
Fewer clinicians can confidently interpret their findings, identify the key drivers of dysfunction, prioritise management strategies, and adapt their treatment approach to complex presentations.
This course helps bridge that gap.
You'll deepen your understanding of pelvic health conditions, challenge your clinical reasoning, and refine your practical assessment and treatment skills alongside like-minded clinicians.
What You'll Learn
Advanced Clinical Reasoning
- Understand the "why" behind subjective and objective assessment findings.
- Refine clinical decision-making and treatment planning.
- Develop confidence managing more complex presentations.
- Work through challenging real-world case studies.
Advanced Assessment Skills
- Standing and sitting vaginal examinations.
- Advanced palpation techniques.
- Assessment of scarring and tissue mobility.
- Assessment of pelvic floor muscle tone and of different muscle contraction states.
- Advanced subjective assessment techniques.
- Critical evaluation of outcome measures.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Learn correct objective POP-Q assessment techniques.
- Improve diagnostic accuracy.
- Develop targeted treatment approaches.
Maternal Birth Injuries
- Assessment and management of:
- Perineal tears
- Vaginal tears
- Levator ani avulsions
- Coccyx injuries
- Apply current evidence to treatment planning and patient management.
Advanced Treatment Approaches
- Pelvic floor training devices and biofeedback technologies.
- Pelvic health apps and digital tools.
- Bladder, bowel, and food diary interpretation.
- Exercise prescription and progression.
- Lifestyle modification strategies.
- Patient education and behavioural interventions.
Whole-Person Pelvic Health
Learn how broader health factors influence pelvic floor function, recovery, and treatment outcomes, including:
- Gut disorders and the gut microbiome
- Sleep quality
- Nutrition
- Breathing patterns
- Stress and nervous system regulation
- Physical activity and exercise
Additional Conditions Covered
The course also explores assessment and management considerations for:
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Menopause
- Prostate Surgery Recovery
- Hard Flaccid Syndrome
- Pelvic Dermatological Conditions
- Pelvic Region Cancers
Course Outcomes
Every component is designed to help you think critically and confidently at every stage of patient assessment, treatment planning, and ongoing management.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Confidently conduct comprehensive pelvic health assessments.
- Perform vaginal and rectal examinations safely and professionally.
- Understand what normal and abnormal findings may present as.
- Identify common pelvic floor dysfunctions across all genders.
- Develop appropriate treatment plans and referral pathways.
- Begin practising as a pelvic health clinician with confidence.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is suitable for health professionals who work with patients including:
- Physiotherapists
- Osteopaths
- Pelvic Health Clinicians
- Other eligible registered health professionals
Prerequisites
Required Prior Learning
Participants must have completed:
Or an equivalent pelvic health internal examination course from another provider.
Recommended Preparation
To gain maximum benefit from this advanced course, we also recommend completing:
These courses provide valuable foundations in pelvic health screening, clinical assessment, pain science, and patient management that will support your progression into advanced pelvic health practice.
Learn From an Expert
Dr Melissa Davidson is New Zealand's only Specialist Physiotherapist in Pelvic Health and has more than 35 years of clinical experience.
Known for her engaging teaching style and evidence-based approach, Melissa makes complex pelvic health concepts easy to understand and immediately applicable in practice.
Read more in About Us
What Participants Say
"An absolutely incredible course full of laughter and knowledge. I gained so much from the course and feel far more confident with my rationale and skill set. I am ready to put this into practice with my more complex patients." - Aimee, Physiotherapist
"Melissa presents and delivers a totally relevant course which sets you up so well with techniques and knowledge you can use immediately on returning to work on Monday. She makes attending a course an absolute pleasure and inspires you to continue improving and learning in a fun and informal way"- Jo, Physiotherapist
"Melissa is able to really keep you engaged, delivering a fantastic learning experience. A very well put together course." - Glenn, Osteopath
"The course increased my anatomical and palpatory knowledge, objective internal examination skills, and treatment options for pelvic health issues in both men and women. The missing link for us Osteopaths treating pelvic health conditions." - Anne, Osteopath
"Great course! I really felt it cemented the knowledge learned on the internals course to make me more confident as a pelvic health Physio" - Jenny, Physiotherapist
"This is a great course to consolidate the learning from the integration and internals courses. Melissa provides an awesome learning environment and makes a situation that can be quite confronting, comfortable for all participants (from my perspective as the only male on the course!)" - Derek, Physiotherapist
"The course was really valuable and helped me consolidate so much information. This course has helped me elevate my pelvic health knowledge and skills!!! Melissa and Simon create such a comfortable and supportive space to learn and hone your skills!" - Anneka, Physiotherapist