Laying the Foundations for Better Health: Bringing Pelvic Health to Walls on their Construction Safety Week
Back to Basics - Because Prevention Is Better Than Cure
When we think about health and safety in construction, we naturally think about hard hats, high-visibility clothing, manual handling, working at heights and preventing injuries on site.
But what about the health concerns we cannot see? The ones people don't talk about over lunch, mention to their colleagues or even bring up with their GP?
This was exactly why I was so delighted to have the opportunity to speak with the team at Walls as part of the Construction Industry Federation's 2026 Safety Campaign.
This year's theme, "Back to Basics," really resonated with me. As a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist working in pelvic health, so much of what I do comes back to the fundamentals: education, understanding how our bodies work, recognising when something isn't quite right and knowing when and where to seek help.
For me, health promotion and prevention are two of the most powerful tools we have in healthcare. Yet, so often, we wait until something becomes a problem before we begin the conversation.
Bringing Pelvic Health into a Predominantly Male Environment
One of the things that made this opportunity particularly meaningful was the audience.
Construction remains a predominantly male industry. In Ireland, women account for approximately 10.9% of the construction workforce, according to figures highlighted by the Construction Industry Federation in 2026.
When we look specifically at those working on construction sites, female representation has historically been even lower. As someone who works extensively in both male and female pelvic health, I found it particularly rewarding to bring these conversations directly to a workforce made up largely of men. Men's pelvic health is an area that remains significantly under-discussed. We often associate pelvic health with pregnancy, childbirth and women's health. While these are incredibly important areas, pelvic health is relevant to everyone, regardless of gender or age.
Men have pelvic floors too!
And those muscles play an essential role in bladder control, bowel function, sexual health and supporting the pelvic organs. Yet many men have never been taught what their pelvic floor does, how symptoms might present or that specialist physiotherapy is available to help.
That is something I am passionate about changing.
What Does Pelvic Health Have to Do with Construction?
Quite a lot, actually!
Construction work can be physically demanding. Heavy lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling and repetitive activities all place demands on the body.
But there are also other everyday factors that we sometimes overlook.
Think about the person who avoids drinking enough water because they don't want to use the site toilets. The worker who repeatedly delays going to the bathroom because they are busy getting a job finished. The person who struggles with constipation, strains regularly on the toilet or notices changes in their bladder function but assumes it's just part of getting older. And let's not forget the office-based teams, whose working day may involve prolonged sitting, reduced movement and entirely different physical demands.
These are all opportunities to talk about health, habits and prevention.
During my talk, "Laying the Foundations in Pelvic Health," we explored bladder and bowel function, pelvic floor muscles, sexual health, common symptoms, and what is normal versus what should prompt further assessment. We also discussed how everyday behaviours, work demands and lifestyle habits can influence pelvic health.
My message was simple: you don't need to wait until you have a significant problem to start looking after yourself.
Prevention Starts with Education
One of the things I feel strongly about is that we need to move away from reactive healthcare wherever possible. Too often in clinical practice, I meet people who have been living with symptoms for months, sometimes years, because they assumed those symptoms were normal, were embarrassed to ask for help or simply didn't know treatment existed.
Urinary leakage, urgency, constipation, pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction are not subjects that naturally find their way into workplace conversations. But that does not mean they are uncommon or unimportant. These symptoms can affect confidence, relationships, sleep, physical activity and quality of life. And while not every pelvic health condition is preventable, education, early recognition, appropriate lifestyle changes and timely access to healthcare can make a significant difference.
Something as simple as understanding healthy bladder habits, maintaining adequate hydration, managing constipation or recognising a change in urinary symptoms can be an important first step. You cannot act on something you have never been taught to recognise.
That is why taking health education outside the traditional clinic setting is so important to me.
Back to Basics: Looking After the Person Behind the Hard Hat
What I particularly appreciated about this year's Construction Safety Campaign was its wider focus on health, wellbeing and the people behind the work.
Of course, preventing workplace accidents and serious injuries must always remain a priority.
But there is also enormous value in promoting long-term health and wellbeing.
To me, getting back to basics in healthcare means asking some straightforward questions:
Are we drinking enough water? Are we listening when our bodies tell us something has changed? Do we understand what normal bladder and bowel function looks like? Are we making time for our health, or are we waiting until symptoms begin to interfere with our lives?
And perhaps most importantly, do we feel comfortable enough to ask for help?
As healthcare professionals, we have a responsibility to make health information accessible, practical and relevant to the people we are speaking with.
There is little benefit in overwhelming someone with complicated medical terminology if they leave without understanding what it means for them.
Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do is start a conversation that someone has never had before.
Breaking Down the Stigma Around Men's Health
For me, this was one of the most important aspects of speaking at Walls .
We need more opportunities for men to engage with healthcare in an environment that feels approachable, supportive and free from judgement.
Talking about bladder problems, bowel difficulties, erectile dysfunction or pelvic pain should not be embarrassing.
These are healthcare concerns, just like back pain, a shoulder injury or high blood pressure.
By bringing these topics into workplaces, community settings and everyday conversations, we begin to normalise them.
We also create opportunities for people to recognise symptoms earlier, ask questions and seek appropriate support.
Not everyone attending a pelvic health talk will have symptoms themselves. But they may have a partner, parent, friend or colleague who does.
That is the beauty of education. The information doesn't necessarily stop with the person sitting in front of you.
It can travel much further.
Building a Culture of Health, Not Just Safety
I want to extend a genuine thank you to Walls Construction for welcoming me and making space for pelvic health as part of their safety campaign.
Including subjects like pelvic health in workplace education sends an important message: employee wellbeing extends beyond the immediate physical hazards of the job.
It recognises that looking after people means considering their overall health, their quality of life and the challenges they may be experiencing both inside and outside work.
As the founder of GW Pelvic Health, one of my biggest goals has always been to make specialist pelvic healthcare more accessible, approachable and better understood.
Opportunities like this remind me why I love the educational side of my profession so much.
If even one person leaves a session understanding their body a little better, recognising a symptom they had previously dismissed, or feeling more confident about seeking help, then that conversation has been worthwhile.
Because good health, just like good construction, starts with strong foundations.
And sometimes, getting back to basics is exactly where we need to begin.
Gráinne Walsh
Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist – Pelvic Health
Founder, GW Pelvic Health
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