Project Description

WORKSHOP 1:

Beyond the Pelvic Floor: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Nociplastic Pelvic Pain

Speaker: Bert Ameloot, DC

Organizer(s)

  • Bert Ameloot, DC – Chiropractor, interdisciplinary pelvic pain clinician, Belgium
  • Eline De Zutter, MD – Gyneacologist, vulvar pain specialist, Belgium
  • Cesar Hincapié, DC, PhD – Senior Scientist, Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Group, University of Zurich, Switzerland


Short description

Vulvodynia affects up to 10% of women and remains one of the most challenging chronic pelvic pain conditions to manage. This interactive workshop explores multimodal, interdisciplinary care pathways combining gynecology, physiotherapy, manual therapy, chiropractic, pain neuroscience education, dietary and psychosocial approaches. Participants will translate emerging evidence and real-world clinical data into practical strategies for complex pelvic pain care.

 

Full description, including objectives (max 200 words)

Vulvodynia is a chronic vulvar pain condition with major impact on quality of life, sexual function, and mental health. Despite its prevalence, diagnosis is often delayed and treatment guidelines remain fragmented. Single-modality interventions show limited success, while multimodal care is increasingly recommended but insufficiently operationalized in clinical practice.

This workshop presents insights from a large retrospective case series of women with vulvodynia referred by gynecologists to an interdisciplinary care pathway, combined with current evidence on pelvic floor dysfunction, central sensitization, and biopsychosocial pain mechanisms. Short expert inputs will be followed by intensive discussion and case-based group work.

 

Learning objectives:

  1. Understand contemporary terminology and diagnostic frameworks for vulvodynia within chronic pelvic pain.
  2. Identify key components of effective multimodal care pathways.
  3. Recognize the role of pelvic floor hypertonicity, central/peripheral nervous system sensitization, the microbiome, hormonal and psychosocial factors.
  4. Apply interdisciplinary decision-making to real-world vulvodynia cases.

Participants will leave with practical tools to improve clinical reasoning, referral strategies, and integrated management of vulvodynia and related pelvic pain conditions.

 

Format:

  • Short expert inputs
  • Case-based small group discussions
  • Plenary discussion and Q&A
  • Interactive mapping of multimodal care pathways

 

Agenda 

09:30–09:45 – Introduction & workshop objectives: followed by a Participant poll: “Where do you usually intervene first in pelvic pain?”
09:45–10:15 – Vulvodynia within chronic pelvic pain: terminology, diagnosis, and care gaps (Gynecology perspective – E. De Zutter)
10:15–10:45 – Workshop or presentation on the clinical examination protocol for chronic pelvic pain (B. Ameloot)
10:45–11:15 – Coffee break
11:15–12:00 – Multimodal treatment components and clinical outcomes from a retrospective case series (All facilitators)
12:00–12:30 – Plenary discussion: challenges, research gaps, and future directions (C. Hincapié)

 

Any additional comments for the review committee

This workshop is designed to complement the Congress focus on low back and pelvic pain by addressing a frequently overlooked yet highly prevalent pelvic pain condition. It emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, real-world clinical data, and active audience engagement rather than traditional lecture-based presentations. The workshop also aims to stimulate clinical reasoning and provide tools to address this condition interdisciplinary, while also promoting a research based approach.