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Erica Fernandes

Pelvic Health and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist

Erica holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy and a Master of Physiotherapy Practice. She is also a certified mindfulness teacher — a qualification she draws on when working with patients whose pelvic health concerns intersect with chronic pain, anxiety, or body awareness. Erica works with the full range of pelvic health concerns: bladder and bowel incontinence (in both women and men), pelvic floor dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, abdominal separation, and pregnancy- and postpartum-related conditions. Her assessments may include internal pelvic floor examination and abdominal real-time ultrasound where clinically appropriate, always with clear consent and explanation. Patients often describe Erica’s approach as thorough, calm, and respectful of vulnerability — particularly important in pelvic health, where many people are seeking help for issues they may feel hesitant in discussing. Alongside her pelvic health practice, Erica also sees general musculoskeletal patients, drawing on manual therapy, exercise prescription, and dry needling.

Special Interests

Conditions Erica Commonly Treats

Pelvic Floor & Continence

  • Urinary incontinence (stress, urge, and mixed)
  • Bowel incontinence and faecal urgency
  • Pelvic organ prolapse
  • Overactive bladder

Pregnancy & Postnatal

  • Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain
  • Low back pain in pregnancy
  • Postpartum recovery and return to exercise
  • Diastasis recti (abdominal separation)
  • Caesarean and perineal recovery

Pelvic Pain

  • Persistent pelvic pain
  • Pain with intercourse (dyspareunia)
  • Vulvodynia
  • Coccyx (tailbone) pain

Men’s Pelvic Health

  • Post-prostatectomy rehabilitation
  • Male urinary incontinence
  • Chronic pelvic pain in men

Qualifications

Qualifications
  • Bachelor of Physiotherapy
  • Master of Physiotherapy Practice
  • Postgraduate certification in women’s pelvic health and continence
  • Certified mindfulness teacher
Postgraduate Training
  • Certified mindfulness instructor  – 2021
  • APA Postgraduate certification in women’s pelvic health and continence 2023
  • Women’s pelvic health- pelvic organ Prolapse-  2024
  • Advanced Stress Urinary Incontinence Management  2024
  • Men’s pelvic health  2024
  • Post Prostatectomy Incontinence and Erectile Dysfunction 2024
  • The pelvic Floor and Bladder pain- 2024
  • Superficial and deep pelvic pain  2025
Professional Experience
  • Pelvic health and continence physiotherapy practice
  • Mindfulness teaching and mindfulness-based rehabilitation
  • General musculoskeletal physiotherapy, manual therapy and dry needling
Languages spoken English.

Outside the Clinic

Outside the clinic, Erica loves baking and spending quality time with her family.

Consulting Locations & Hours

Sunbury Physiotherapy — Mondays and Fridays
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Frequently Asked Questions About Erica

No, never automatically. Internal pelvic floor examination can be a useful assessment tool for some conditions, but it is always optional and always consent-based. Erica will explain what it involves, why it might help your specific concern, and only proceed if you choose to.

A routine 6-week postnatal assessment is a good baseline, but you can be seen sooner if you have specific concerns. There's no need to wait for 'ongoing' problems — early assessment can catch and address issues before they become more problematic.

Yes. Erica sees men for a range of pelvic health concerns — bladder and bowel symptoms, post-prostatectomy rehabilitation, pelvic pain, and erectile concerns. We hope to see that any perceived “taboo" is fading; the conditions are common and, importantly, treatable.

Real-time ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging technique that lets us see your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles working in real time on a screen. It's particularly helpful for retraining these muscles after pregnancy or surgery — you can see what they're doing and learn to control them more effectively.

Many people do at first — these are areas of the body most of us never talk about. Erica's approach is calm, respectful, and matter-of-fact. After a few minutes of conversation, most patients are visibly more relaxed. The conditions are very common and treatable.