The DIY Bladder and Pelvic Floor Programme
A comprehensive self help video guide for women with bladder and pelvic floor problems
This programme is a comprehensive self-help guide for women who want to prevent or treat bladder and pelvic floor problems. It consists of a series of four helpful video tutorials:
Relax and Release, Onwards and Upwards (+ introducing ‘FitClit’ exercises)
The programme has been been designed by Jane Appleyard, who treated thousands of women during her 20 year professional career as a pelvic health physiotherapist. Although now retired and no longer practicing she still has a passion for pelvic floors!
These tutorials are easy to understand, packed with essential top tips, quick wins, and “myth busters”. The DIY approach is for women who are keen to help themselves and want to make a start now.
The DIY Story
The inspiration behind this DIY recovery programme lies with the women I’ve treated who had secretly battled with bladder, pelvic floor and poor sensation issues for years.
One day they decided ‘enough was enough’ and stepped into the online world of pelvic health. A world where misinformation abounds, incontinence pads are promoted as fun and feminine, and some odd-looking pelvic floor products can be found!
By the time these women arrived in my clinic, they had often tried to help themselves on numerous occasions—even purchasing expensive products that failed to deliver the promised ‘amazing’ results.
They were disappointed that they hadn’t been able to reconnect with their pelvic floor, fearful that they were one step closer to wearing the dreaded “Leaky Lady” label, and frustrated that they’d parted with money for a device that was now just stuffed in the bottom of their knicker drawer.
It really doesn’t need to be this way.
If you’re given accurate information and guidance, it’s possible to achieve some great results with self-help.
This DIY approach will give you the tools you need to assess your symptoms and put together your own personalised rehabilitation programme.
No hoops to jump through. No waiting lists. Just easy access to effective, affordable, guided self-help.
Part 1: Back to Basics
To be empowered, it’s essential to have some knowledge about the basics of our ‘below the belt’ anatomy.
If we understand how the systems work together when everything is going well, we can move onto look at what can go wrong.
After completing this section you’ll finally be able to put a label on the symptoms you’re experiencing and—armed with this knowledge—choose the appropriate physiotherapy approach from the DIY programme.
We start by exploring how a healthy bladder should work, the reflexes that control it, and the changes that occur when it becomes overactive and sensitive.
The focus then moves onto the wonders of the different parts of our pelvic floor muscles, starting with the deeper sections responsible for continence and supporting our internal organs.
We look at the smaller set of pelvic floor muscles that sit nearer the surface. They have an important role to play in sexual response, intimate sensation, and deserve more attention than the mythical “G-spot”.
Part 2: Self Assess and Self Treat
Reviewing, understanding, and monitoring symptoms is like picking the correct pieces of your own unique “Road to Recovery” jigsaw. Everyone’s jigsaw is different.
Once you’ve solved your puzzle, you’ll have a clear picture of the way forwards and be able to personalise your self-help programme. This is the key to success.
You’ll be guided through techniques to:
Assess an overactive bladder by reviewing its capacity, sensitivity, and what triggers those urge leaks and the frequent need to pass urine
Assess your own deep pelvic floor muscles
Identify movement in the superficial ‘sex response’ pelvic floor muscles
Help set in place your own DIY treatment plan
Part 3: Home Treatments
This video explains two different treatments which can be helpful if you:
Have an overactive bladder, the symptoms are slow to settle with lifestyle changes, and you’d like to avoid the side effects of medication
Are unable to activate your pelvic floor muscles or any attempt at a ‘squeeze’ fades away quickly
It sounds bizarre, but overactive bladder reflexes can be calmed by stimulating a nerve around the ankle area. It’s called the tibial nerve and it originates from a spinal level which is a control centre for bladder activity. The treatment can result in a bladder that stores more urine and can hold on for longer periods.
What about waking up pelvic floor muscles? Using a muscle stimulating device with a vaginal electrode can help you to make contact with those deeper pelvic floor muscles. It does this by focusing on the “brain-body connection”, assisting as you activate and hold on to a muscle contraction.
After completing this part of the programme you’ll know:
If it’s worth considering purchasing an electrical device and whether it’s likely to help your symptoms
Details about how to set up the specific outputs to calm down an overactive bladder using the “ankle treatment”
How to choose an appropriate muscle stimulating programme to encourage activation of your pelvic floor muscles
Part 4: Relax and Release, Onwards and Upwards
In the final section there is a guided “total body approach” to relaxing and releasing your pelvic floor muscles. This is followed by advice on how to exercise both deep and superficial muscles, along with details about progression and maintaining any improvement.
It can be a real challenge to be aware of muscle tension in any part of our body, and this is particularly true of the pelvic floor muscle group.
So, the DIY programme concludes with a focus on relaxing and releasing—which is different to stretching and lengthening. We look at techniques such as “belly and pelvic floor flops” and “bottom breathing”, great tools to encourage these muscles to let go.
There is a guide to the correct pattern of movement to help you effectively engage your deep pelvic floor muscles.
We look at “FitClit” techniques and exercises. These are suggested as a way of encouraging a better awareness of your superficial pelvic floor muscles, which play a vital role in sexual sensation.
“This is such a fantastic programme. So comprehensive and reassuring. It can be incredibly isolating living with bladder issues but watching these videos made me feel as if I was being supported by a friend. Jane’s dedication to helping women is obvious. She really cares.”
Is the DIY Approach for You?
Ever experienced these problems? DIY is for you!
An urgency when you need to pass urine, sometimes leaking before you reach the toilet
A need to empty your bladder frequently, only passing small amounts
Leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or walk down hills
“Key in the door” syndrome -if you’ve ever experienced this, you’ll know exactly what it is
Fear of being far from the toilet
An awareness that your bladder is constantly on your mind
Difficulty engaging your pelvic floor muscles
Pelvic floor muscles that “fade out” with any attempt at exercise
Poor sensation during sex
£49 / $67
The Full DIY Bladder & Pelvic Floor Video Package
The videos are packed with information, and they follow on from each other. If you need to refresh your memory and revisit any sections, you can dip back into the programme whenever you need to.
You’ll have access to resources mentioned in the videos and links to helpful websites. The signposting page will give you information about services to access should you need any further support.
By proceeding to start the video course you are confirming that you have read the Important Information and agree with our Terms and Conditions .
Any questions? Read our frequently asked questions or contact us.
We have a 7 day refund policy.
Just to reassure you, the advice contained in the DIY programme is unbiased and independent of any company involvement or sponsorship arrangements.
About Jane Appleyard
I worked in the world of ‘pelvic health’ for many years. Two things always amazed me. Firstly, how long women put up with bladder leaks and pelvic floor problems, and secondly, that women can do so much to help themselves with gentle guidance.
I’m a mum with grandchildren on the scene and can say like most women I’ve been guilty of putting my own health needs on the back-burner.
My desire is to reach out to all those busy women who live with pelvic health problems and are perhaps are a little ‘clinic shy’.
I’m on a mission—to demystify pelvic health. They say knowledge and understanding are empowering, and I believe this is the key reason women succeed with self-help.
My career took me in many different directions. I worked in the NHS as the clinical lead for a Continence Advisory Service, presented at national conferences, set up an independent clinic, and was involved in supervising and training other health care professionals.
Now retired, I have more time on my hands to enjoy the outdoors and build on my reputation of dragging family and friends into the countryside (whatever the Yorkshire weather may be throwing at us!)
Important Information
Most women’s symptoms are very common, not a cause for concern and can be improved by lifestyle changes, appropriate exercises, and some simple home treatments.
This programme is a self-assess and self-treat approach and is not suitable for any woman experiencing what are described as Red Flag Symptoms.
These symptoms are listed to the right, and may be an indication of more serious conditions such as cancer. If any of these symptoms apply to you, then please seek advice from your doctor or health care professional. You may require further tests.
Can I also point out that the information on this website does not in any way replace advice from your G.P. or qualified healthcare professional. If you have any specific concerns about your health, you should seek an individual consultation with your doctor for diagnosis and advice.
Please read and agree to the Terms and Conditions before considering embarking on your DIY journey.
Red Flag Symptoms
Blood in your urine or poo.
Bleeding after sex or after the menopause
Persistent unexplained change in bowel habits
Unexplained weight loss
Persistent abdominal ‘bloating’ or ‘feeling full’
Decreased appetite
Extreme tiredness for no reason
Pain or lump in your tummy
Any unexplained pelvic or abdominal pain
A change in bladder habits with more urgency, frequency and ‘urinary tract infection’ like symptoms
Unexplained vaginal discharge
Any change in appearance of vulva or symptoms of itching, burning or tenderness in this area
Any change in sensation with tingling or numbness in pelvis and legs
Any sudden loss of bowel or bladder control or difficulty controlling balance
Note: DIY Bladder may not be suitable if you are receiving any treatment for underlying medical conditions.
FAQs
What do I get when I buy the video package?
You’ll immediately receive permanent access to the videos, which in total last an hour and 12 minutes, along with information about resources and details about other services that you may find supportive.
Do I also need to buy any equipment?
Not necessarily. Many women find they can achieve some great results without spending any money on equipment.
How can I watch the videos?
After joining, you’ll be taken to our members area where you can watch all the videos online (on your computer, phone, or tablet).
How quickly should I expect to see results?
Some women notice an improvement almost immediately when they start to make some simple lifestyle changes, and begin to connect with their pelvic floor.
It’s more usual to see a steady improvement over a period of around three months (if you can “hand on heart” say that you’ve stayed on track!)
Do you have a refund policy?
Yes - we have a 7 day refund policy.