Prostate Cancer

Physiotherapy for men undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

The prostate is a gland at the base of the bladder and it is usually the size of a walnut. The urethra (urine tube) passes through the prostate. The role of the prostate gland is to produce fluid that forms part of the semen to nourish sperm. If the cells of the prostate start to divide in an uncontrollable way and invade healthy tissue, this is called cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. It was responsible for 27.5% of new cancer cases in men in 2019 (UK Cancer Statistics and Data). Prostate cancer mainly affects men over the age of 50. Survival rates are good: 97.2% at 1 year and 87.5% at 5 years.

The treatments for prostate cancer are very good at treating the cancer but can leave men with some difficult side effects, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Physiotherapy can help to treat these symptoms. Research by Jo Milios and colleagues in 2019 has shown the importance of doing pelvic floor muscle exercises before and after surgery for prostate cancer to reduce urinary incontinence after surgery.

Whether you are having surgery or radiotherapy for your cancer, please do contact the practice for an assessment and treatment with our specialist pelvic health physiotherapist, Gemma Barnes BSc (Hons) MSc MCSP MPOGP

Physiotherapy Treatment includes:-

· A pelvic floor muscle exercise programme tailored to your needs.

· Information to optimise your bladder and bowel habits

· Help with returning to daily activities and exercise after treatment

· Making sure that you are able to do your pelvic floor muscle exercises correctly

Further information

https://www.prostate-cancer-research.org.uk/patient-info/

https://thepogp.co.uk/patient_information/mens_health/prostate.aspx

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/prostate-cancer

https://www.pcf.org/patient-resources/living-prostate-cancer/?utm_source=google_cpc&utm_medium=ad_grant&utm_campaign=awareness_survivor_wellness_uk&gclid=Cj0KCQjwteOaBhDuARIsADBqRegOHR0BjnqW-vkQdSVwjIfWdS3-KVN5sw1VwHdamfNVfVzggEk2hwoaAq2LEALw_wcB

Nicola Vineyard qualified at Pinderfields College, Wakefield, West Yorkshire in 1985. After working in Mundesley Rehabilitation Hospital in Norfolk for a time, she moved back to her home in Essex.
She then started work in the East London area working for the NHS at Newham General Hospital and Barking Hospital. Here she gained a sound knowledge of all aspects of physiotherapy both inpatient and outpatients She also worked in the London Chest Hospital for a short period of time being involved with all respiratory treatments including post cardio- thoracic surgery rehab.

Nicola realised quite quickly in her career that she had a love of outpatient treatments as this enabled her to work closely with patients providing effective treatments and rehabilitation programmes. Due to her love of sports injuries she became involved with the Metropolitan Police sports Club in Essex treating the rugby and football teams. For several years she was involved with the London Youth Games, treating injuries sustained in the varied sports by the young athletes.

After working in a private hospital in London for several years she opened up her own practice in Essex in 1991 specialising in musculo-skeletal Physiotherapy and Acupuncture. The workload was varied; from sports injuries, biomechanical, muscle, joint, ligament and tendon problems to post-surgical orthopaedic treatments, treating both young and old.

She built up a close relationship with London Consultants in all orthopaedic specialisations sitting in on their clinics and attending surgery to observe operations at first hand. This enabled her to have a clearer understanding of the patients’ needs and therefore providing a more efficient and effective treatment programme.

Nicola feels a physiotherapist is like a detective. The body is wonderful, complicated and finely tuned. A physiotherapist must take a holistic approach to each individual. They must question and examine the patient thoroughly and then having all the clues in place come to a conclusion resulting in the best possible plan of treatment.
Nicola enjoys all aspect of physiotherapy but has a keen interest in acute sports injuries especially foot and knee injuries. She encourages her patients to use video imagery in clinic to help them understand good and bad postural habits and to have a record and clearer understanding of the exercises taught. She also uses taping techniques to offload injured areas as well using it to help reinforce correct postural positioning of the body both during activity or at rest.

Nicola moved to Norfolk and joined the Park Physiotherapy team in September 2016. As a member of Physio First, Nicola achieved Quality Assured Practitioner status in 2018 and continues to maintain this.