Erica Lewis has specialised in Women’s Health Physiotherapy for the last 15 years and was Principal Women’s Health Physiotherapist at St George’s Hospital in London from 2007 until July 2015. She founded Hertfordshire Women’s Health after becoming increasingly aware of a need for a bespoke Women’s Health service in the area since relocating to St Albans.

Erica is hugely experienced in assessing and treating conditions such as urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, faecal incontinence, vaginal prolapse, dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse) and postnatal perineal trauma, including 3rd and 4th degree tears. She also provides pre-operative preparation for gynaecological surgery, post-operative strengthening, antenatal prevention of pelvic floor weakness and postnatal pelvic floor muscle checks.

Erica offers a professional and empathetic service, always careful to ensure patients feel at ease whilst managing often complicated and sensitive conditions. As a Chartered Physiotherapist she is bound by the ‘Code of Members’ Professional Values and Behaviour’ from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP). This includes maintaining strict confidentiality. Erica is also DBS (previously CRB) approved.

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common condition, with one in three women experiencing urinary incontinence at some point in their lives and up to 50% of childbearing women having a degree of prolapse. However, studies have shown that a large proportion of these women can be helped or cured with non-surgical intervention. The initial assessment with Erica includes a detailed discussion of the patient’s relevant medical history followed by a physical examination. A complete explanation of the findings is provided along with a provisional management plan and prognosis. If follow up sessions are required, their number and frequency will be based on clinical findings and the individual’s needs and will usually last 30 minutes.

Treatment may include a comprehensive, evidence-based pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation programme, bladder retraining, fluid management and use of biofeedback and/or neuromuscular electrical stimulation. Scar management, trigger point release and muscle down-training are also used where appropriate.

Erica Lewis has completed numerous postgraduate training courses in pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation. Most recently she completed her MSc degree in Continence for Physiotherapists (2012). She was also published in the ‘International Urogynaecology Journal’ in 2013. Erica is a member of the CSP, the Health and Care Professions Council and the Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy network.