Mrs Diane Daly

In 2000 I earned a Masters in Physical Therapy from East Caroline University in North Carolina, USA. After moving to the U.K. in 2003, I worked as a Specialist Inpatient Physiotherapist treating inpatient obstetrics, gynaecology, urology, andrology, and oncology patients at a private hospital in Northwest London for 14 years.

Upon completion of Bradford University’s post graduate certificate in Women’s Health Physiotherapy in 2017, I became a Specialist Women’s Health Physiotherapist. From there, I left private practice to work in the NHS for more than 4 years. I gained extensive experience treating women with pregnancy-related pain, as well as postnatal symptoms related to pelvic floor dysfunction, incontinence, dyspareunia (pain with sex) and pelvic organ prolapse. I found developing my practice to include pregnant persons very rewarding. I also had a chance to specialise in the treatment of Bladder Pain Syndrome and became a ‘Bladder Hero’ after training with Specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist Jilly Bond on her Happy Bladder Course in 2019.

In 2021, I joined Spire Hartswood. I now practice as a Specialist Women’s & Men’s Health Physiotherapist because I treat all patients with symptoms related to the pelvis and breasts. In fact, I now have 20 years’ experience working with patients who have undergone breast and prostate procedures, including gender reassignment, cancer and trauma. I help women and men manage cording related to breast surgery (yes, men get breast cancer too). Post-op breast surgery treatments include Pilates-style exercises, soft tissue techniques, scar mobilisations and manual therapy, I have helped patients regain full range of motion in order to get into appropriate positions for radiotherapy. I trained with Gerard Greene, Specialist Men’s Health Physiotherapist, and have developed pelvic floor treatment techniques for men before and after prostate surgery. I continue to educate people that men have pelvic floor muscles too.

At Spire Hartswood Hospital, colorectal consultants refer patients to me with bowel problems such as chronic constipation or bowel/wind incontinence. These conditions can also effect the bladder. In addition to pelvic floor muscle training, my physiotherapy treatment plans can include teaching bowel irrigation or biofeedback for vaginal and rectal muscles which helps both genders reduce bladder and bowel incontinence. In addition, I have worked with women and men diagnosed with diastasis rectus abdominis (separation of the ‘8-pack’ muscle). By safely training core muscles and reducing activities which aggravate the separation of stomach muscles, patients are able to return to activities the love, such as dead lifts, Pelaton, Pilates and planks.

Women come to see me following such gynaecology procedures as open myomectomy (removal of large fibroids) and hysterectomy. Since May 2022, after training with Maria Elliott the founder of the 'Mummy MOT' (the postnatal check every woman deserves), I became the only Specialist Women’s & Men’s Health Physiotherapist at Spire Hartswood Hospital to offer the Mummy MOT service. Whether a woman is 6 weeks or 16 years postnatal, I can assess and treat the myriad symptoms related to pregnancy. These include postnatal pelvic organ prolapse, pain with intercourse, perineal trauma and stomach muscle separation following childbirth

I am a member of many Specialist Physiotherapy organisations, including Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP), Health Care Professions Council (HCPC), Pelvic Obstetric Gynaecological & Physiotherapists (POGP), Mummy MOT, and Bladder Heroes. I enjoy the commitment to providing compassionate care at Spire Hartswood Hospital and being a part of the Physiotherapy Department. This is a beautifully clean facility with a warm, welcoming staff.