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Surrey-based specialist women’s health physiotherapist Emma Brockwell has been named in of two of the 12 categories being highlighted in the Active Pregnancy Foundation (APF) awards 2023. Emma and her book, titled ‘Why did no one tell me? How to protect, heal and nurture your body throughout motherhood’, appears in the product of the year category.

Members of the public voted for their favourite professional from a list of shortlisted candidates that was compiled by an expert panel. Emma is also shortlisted in the sports practitioner of the year category.

A panel of six – including GP Hussain Al-Zubaidi – will choose the category winners, with the results due to be announced at an evening ceremony in London on 27 June. Hussain is the Royal College of General Practitioners’ lifestyle and physical activity lead.

The organisers say the awards ‘recognise the inspiring people who work tirelessly to support pregnant and postnatal women to become or stay active’. Hussain said: ‘We need to keep banging the drum about the benefits of movement as part of a healthy lifestyle, and I can’t wait to step into my role as a judge and learn more about the many nominations.’

Emma’s book is described as a ‘reassuring, no-nonsense guide to caring for your body before, during and after giving birth’. ‘For too long, women have been told that debilitating conditions following pregnancy are normal, to be expected, and something to just put up with.’

Topics in Emm’s book include

• protect your pelvic floor
• heal effectively from birth – both vaginal deliveries and caesarean section
• tackle common, and treatable, post-birth problems
• exercise safely after birth

Emma is also shortlisted in the sports practitioner of the year category. For more details about her Physiomum clinics, click

We need to keep banging the drum about the benefits of movement as part of a healthy lifestyle, and I can’t wait to step into my role as a judge and learn more about the many nominations [Hussain Al-Zubaidi]

Physiotherapy in the limelight

Physiotherapist Gráinne Donnelly, who founded a pelvic health-focused physiotherapy clinic called Absolute Physio in 2013 is shortlisted in the researcher of the year category.

While still running her clinic in Northern Ireland, Gráinne also offers virtual pelvic health and educational services to a wider international clientele. She also offers consultancy services for businesses requiring specialist pelvic health insight and guidance. Her clinic focuses on advanced pelvic health evaluations and research development. Gráinne and Emma collaborate on a regular podcast, which is called ‘At your cervix’.

Physiotherapist Maria Elliot is one of three candidates listed in the woman of the year category. Maria, who also appears in the perinatal practitioner of the year category, runs Mummy MOT and London-based Maria Elliott physiotherapy services. She has worked in the field of women’s health for more than 30 years and is a specialist pelvic health physiotherapist and a clinical Pilates instructor.

After training in France in postnatal rehabilitation, Maria created the Mummy MOT postnatal check, a postnatal recovery programme. Since founding Mummy MOT in 2015, she has trained more than 700 practitioners to support, educate, and empower mums. 

Lieutenant Colonel Elaine Walker, an army GP senior medical officer for the 1st UK, was also shortlisted in the woman of the year category. Elaine took the lead on projects that introduced women’s health physiotherapy to those serving in the defence forces and led on the introduction of the pre and post-natal physical training instructor course to reduce musculoskeletal post-natal injuries.

Also shortlisted in the perinatal practitioner of the year category is Suzanne Vernazza, a specialist physiotherapist whose clinic is based in Gateshead. After graduating in physiotherapy in 2003, Suzanne started her career at St Mary’s Hospital in London, her website states.

‘Since then I have built up high level of expertise in treating musculoskeletal conditions in both private and NHS settings. I have gained a vast amount of knowledge and experience in areas including complex pain management, acupuncture and manual therapy. In 2018 I completed a post graduate certificate in Women’s Health Physiotherapy and became a full member of the Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy group.’

Suzanne told PhysioUpdate: ‘I also run a not-for-profit called Know Your Floors. It’s also available via Instagram. I have been running a campaign on social media to get people talking about pelvic health and pelvic floor exercises called #squeezealong. This has also been shortlisted for campaign of the year.’

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was named as one of three contenders for the organisation of the year award.

To find out more about the APF and the awards, click

More news on Emma Brockwell

Emma won a case study of the year award after speaking at last weekend’s (27-29 May) Isokinetic conference in London.

In a tweet, Emma said: ‘Wild! So honoured to have won Best Case Report Award ‘A pelvic health physios role in a footballers return to play postpartum! ’Thank you to @Melanie_Leupolz for letting me share her journey and the incredible team @ChelseaFCW for letting me join the MDT to support her journey. Twitter: @emma_physiomum

To read a PhysioUpdate article published in the run-up to the Isokinetic conference, click 

To read a PhysioUpdate 2021 interview with Emma Brockwell, click