In person and online live courses
  • Do you want to learn more about pelvic health but you don't want to learn how to do internal examinations?
  • Do you want to advance your knowledge of both women's and men's pelvic health?
  • Do you feel you are missing a piece of the puzzle when it comes to patient care?
  • Do you treat all genders for general musculoskeletal issues?
  • This course is now offered in-person and online live.
Click on the image to see full details of the course
 
What people are saying about this course:
 
As a male full time MSK outpatient physio, I found this course really valuable, and will definitely look to bring what I have learned into my practice. I'd strongly recommend this course to any MSK physio, as it's an area of practice where we need to address more directly and become more competent - Conor
Pelvic health therapy is the first conservative treatment internationally recommended for many maternal birth injuries and pelvic health conditions. To assess and treat these injuries and conditions, internal examinations are required in most cases.
 

The focus of this course is learning how to assess patients using internal examinations (vaginal and rectal). Assessment of the pelvic floor muscles, levator ani avulsions, coccyx injuries, prolapses, and maternal birth injuries will be taught using the latest international guidelines. Peer-to-peer learning is used to maximize your ability to learn new skills. Three practical sessions during the course are provided for you to practice your assessment and treatment skills in a supportive environment.

Incontinence (urinary and faecal), pelvic organ prolapses, bowel issues, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic pain conditions in females and males will be introduced at a basic level.

The course is clinically focused and will give you tools to enable you to immediately branch into the field of women's and men's pelvic health, and to call yourself a pelvic health therapist. Females, males, and gender diverse registered health professionals are invited to take part in this course.

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What people are saying about this course:
 
The best course I have been on in a long time, a relaxed environment for learning a new topic. Melissa has a great personality for teaching such a taboo topic and the whole weekend was the right balance of presentations and practical, highly recommend!! - Laura
Take your pelvic health career to the next level with this course. Advanced subjective and objective examinations (vaginal and rectal) will be reviewed to ensure you are working to the latest international recommendations. Assessment of different maternal birth injuries including perineal and vaginal tears, levator ani avulsions, and coccyx injuries will be taught. Assessment of prolapse staging using objective POP-Q measurements as well as standing and sitting assessments will be covered, and you'll learn how to mobilize coccyx injuries. Advanced palpation skills will be taught including for scarring, muscle tone, and muscle contraction states.
 

Bladder, bowel, and food diaries will be discussed, as will common outcome measures such as Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire, different pain scales, and POP-Q. Adjunctive therapy such as pelvic floor training devices and apps will be discussed, as well as the importance of sleep, nutrition, gut health, stress management, and exercise as it relates to pelvic health.

Common conditions and treatments covered will include pelvic organ prolapse, sexual dysfunctions, pelvic pain (at a basic level), gut health (different conditions and treatment options), menopause, coccyx injuries, prostate surgery, and hard flaccid syndrome. Common dermatological conditions and cancers of the pelvic region will be discussed.

Throughout the course we will also be reviewing case studies and challenging you to think critically at all stages of the patient management process. This is alongside two practical sessions for you to practice your assessment and treatment skills in a supportive environment.

Pre-requisite: INTERNALS (or equivalent). Recommended: INTEGRATION
 
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What people are saying about this course:
 

An absolutely incredible course full of laughter and knowledge. Would 100% recommend to anyone looking at advancing their basic internal and pelvic health skills. I gained so much from the course and feel a lot more confident with my rationale and skillset than I did before and I am so ready to put this in to practice with some of my more complex patients. Two cute black labs, the delicious food and the beautiful calming venue were bonuses! - Aimee

Our Advanced Practice Course is for those physiotherapists who want to take their pelvic health skills to the next level or just want to 'fill in the gaps'. And due to many requests, we are holding it in Christchurch so those on the Mainland don't need to travel so far this time😊.
 
We are going to customise this course for what you want and for what you need to advance your clinical practice. On registering for the course, you will be sent an email asking you what you would like to have covered on the weekend. And to the best of our abilities, we will try and ensure that what you want and need is included on the course.
 
Pre-requisite: INTERNALS (or equivalent). Recommended: INTEGRATION
 
Click on the image to see full details of the course.
What people are saying about Melissa's courses:
 

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. Oh yes - also great location and food. – Jo

Pessaries
This advanced course is focused on teaching you how to conservatively manage pelvic organ prolapse, including how to assess the patient, select the pessary, and fit the appropriate pessary.
 
This course is presented by Fran Tague, Melissa Davidson, and Simon Smith. Fran has extensive experience in fitting and managing pessaries over many years and will be providing this vital training to you. Melissa will be ensuring your assessment and patient management skills are up to speed. And Simon, as our business systems go-to person, will be focusing on the business side of pessary management. The combination of these three presenters will ensure you leave this course with knowledge and skills suitable for managing patients with prolapse. 
 
Click on the image to see full details of the course.
These courses are focused on providing training to physiotherapists. However they are open to other registered health professionals with an interest in the field of pelvic health.
 
If you have any conditions on your scope of practice with your registration board, please contact Melissa prior to enrolling to ensure you can attend.
 
🐾 Please note: 🐾 Any courses held in our Kinloch location (near Taupo) will have two black labrador dogs present (Ripley and Strider) - its their home 😊. If this is going to be a issue for you, I suggest doing the course in a different location.
 
International health professionals: Physiotherapists can attend our courses in New Zealand without having to be registered by the Physiotherapy Board of NZ while training with us. While in NZ you are restricted from calling yourself a 'physiotherapist', but you can say you are a 'physiotherapist registered in .......'.
Other health professionals, please check with the relevant professional board in NZ. Any questions regarding this, please contact Melissa prior to enrolling.
 
Professional Support
Engaging with mentors, supervisors, and peers has helped me achieve success in my career and in my business. Let me share my 32 years of knowledge and experience to help guide you professionally.
Professional support to accelerate your professional career - we have three options for you to choose from:
  • Pelvic Health DIRECT. Online forum to ask Melissa your Pelvic Health questions. Join for FREE.
  • Pelvic Health CONNECT. Private members group with forum, live group mentoring and training with Melissa and access to resources for your Pelvic Health business. Paid membership.
  • Pelvic Health PRO. One-on-one mentoring, training, or supervision with Melissa. Priced per hour. Discounts for Pelvic Health CONNECT members.
Click on the image for details of our professional support options
What people are saying about our mentoring:
 
Thank you Melissa... for all your support and advice, I could really feel how much you genuinely want us to succeed and improve our profession as a whole. It is inspiring and makes me want to be a better physiotherapist. – Anna, Pevlic Health Business Course 2021
Pelvic Health Directory NZ
Be found on the web where Kiwi referrers and patients are looking for Pelvic Health Professionals who can help with appropriate assessment and treatment for their pelvic health concerns.
Cancellation Policy for In-Person Courses
If you cancel more than 8 weeks before the course, you will receive a full refund less a $50 admin fee.
 

If you cancel up to 4 weeks before the course, you will receive a 50% refund less a $50 admin fee.

No refund will be given if you cancel with less than 4 week's notice. There are no exceptions to this.

If Melissa is unable to teach due to sickness, the course will be moved to an alternative date. If we have to move the course due to this, you will be offered a refund or spot on the alternative date course, whichever suits you. Please take this into account if you are flying in for the course or booking accommodation, make sure you have flexible arrangements in case of the course having to be rescheduled.

Q. What can I do if I can't attend and it's less than 4 weeks to the course?
 
We know that sometimes life happens and people can't attend a course due to illness, a family situation, or other last-minute reasons. In this case, we give you the option to find a suitable health professional to take your place on the course. Let us know their contact details (name, email, mobile number) so we can transfer your enrollment to them. And you sort out payment directly with them. Our Cancellation Policy applies to your replacement as well.
Course Calendar 2023
October 2023
November 2023
December 2023
Course Calendar 2024
January 2024
April 2024
May 2024
July 2024
September 2024
October 2024
December 2024
About us
Dr Melissa Davidson
Post graduate training has been an important part of Melissa's career development over the last 32 years while working clinically with patients. She completed her PhD at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute at the University of Auckland (researching the effects of pregnancy on the pelvic floor muscles and assessing the palpation skills of clinicians). She has a Master of Philosophy (researching pelvic floor muscle tightness in a population of pain patients) from the University of Melbourne, Post Graduate Certificates in Physiotherapy for the Pelvic Floor (University of Melbourne) and Acupuncture (Otago University), and an Advanced Diploma in Orthopaedic Manipulation from Canada.
As well as these formal qualifications, Melissa has attended many short courses in a variety of topics ranging from musculoskeletal, to acupuncture, to pelvic health, and sexuality. She has also tutored and examined at the University of Melbourne (in Pelvic Floor and Women's Health) and presents both nationally and internationally. She is an active member of the Pelvic, Women's and Men's Health SIG of Physiotherapy New Zealand and is the current President to the International Organisation of Physiotherapists in Pelvic and Women's Health. Melissa has also completed a Certificate in Health Science and PK206: Gut Health and Allergies, from the Faculty of PreKure.
Alongside her clinical training, Melissa's employment history includes working in hospitals and private practices in New Zealand and Canada, as well as running her own successful multi-location private practice for 14 years. For the last 7 years she has been successfully consulting as a specialist physiotherapist in Queenstown, Christchurch, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty. As part of running her own businesses, Melissa has invested many hours in business training to enhance her private practice procedures, her income, and develop a strong niche market. This unique set of skills enables her to provide specific training and support in helping other health professionals be successful in pelvic health and business.
Dr Melissa Davidson
Specialist Physiotherapist in Pelvic Health
PhD, MPhil, Dip.Physiotherapy, B.Science, Dip.Manipulation,
Post Graduate Certificates in Physiotherapy (Pelvic Floor and Acupuncture)
Certificate in Health Science
Registered with the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand under Specialist Scope of Practice
Member of Physiotherapy New Zealand
If you join us for a course in Kinloch (near Taupo), you will get to meet our 'fur-babies' as we run the courses out of our home. And you should not draw any conclusions about why their photos appear above Simon's ;-)
Ripley loves to greet everyone enthusiastically with her soft toys, and suckling her blanket or her teddy. 
Strider loves giving everyone a ball to throw for him and snuggling into people for cuddles.
Simon Smith
Simon is the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) and Co-Founder of Dr Melissa Davidson Pelvic Health Training. He is not a physiotherapist but he had the good sense to marry one.
 
Simon has worked in accounting and IT for the Health and Disability Commissioner, nzski.com, and AJ Hackett Bungy. While he was business manager for our private physiotherapy business in Queenstown, Simon moon-lighted as a contract trainer for Gensolve, New Zealand's leading PMS provider.
 
In our Christchurch years, Simon worked with Motus Health on projects to launch a pain service, and a joint venture with ACC and private hospitals leading to an Escalated Care Pathway for knee injuries. When we moved to Taupo, Simon  completed a stint as Regional Manager - Waikato for APM Workcare before re-joining the family firm.
 
While Melissa is the face of the business (and out collecting qualifications), Simon uses his business and management experience to work behind the scenes dealing with the web-site, the bean-counting, and course and membership support requests - all the stuff that Melissa thinks is boring. He also provides one on one business consultanty with private practice owners to improve their businesses processes, cash flow, efficiently, and at the same time reduce the owners (and employees) stress levels. This includes providing accreditation advice, documents, and support.
Simon Simon
CTO and Co-Founder
B.Com. Cert in Training and Human Resource Development
Course Locations