Menopause and Physiotherapy
Often the word ‘Menopause’ is followed with a grunt or a sigh from the crowd, or perhaps is politely whispered and then brushed under the carpet. We are here today to tell you- it is not something that you have to go through alone, it should not be something that is ignored and there are methods to managing the symptoms and it might be more simple then you think!
Lets start with the basics and break it down a bit… what is menopause? Well technically ‘Menopause’ is the day in which a womans periods have been absent for 12 whole months. The ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and the amount of oestrogen hormone in a womans body declines. Like with everything- everyones experience is different. The timing of menopause, duration and symptoms are all variable between each individual.
You also may have heard of the term ‘Peri-menopause?’... this is the transition period between the reproductive years to menopause. (‘Peri’ meaning near. ‘Near Menopause’)
It is this ‘Peri-menopause’ phase in which women start to experience symptoms related to the hormonal changes that eventually lead to Menopause. The most common are hot flushes, night sweats, low mood or anxiety, fatigue, vaginal dryness and joint and muscle pain.
So why is a Physiotherapist talking about Menopause? Well many reasons! Lets start with the musculoskeletal changes that occur to your body as you reach Menopause. The hormone oestrogen assists in the growth of repair of our bones. During the years leading up to menopause a womans oestrogen levels begin to drop, and this continues post menopause. It has been said that women can loose up to 20% of their bone density in the first 5-6 years post menopause, as these hormone levels drop. There is also a reduction in muscular strength over the peri and post menopause period.
So what do we do about this? Resistance training has been shown to be the most effective form of exercise to maintain healthy bones. As women the major sites at risk of osteoporosis are our hips, wrists and spine. So think press ups, lunges, squats etc. Exercise is also helpful in managing all of the other symptoms of Menopause eg. managing the ‘middle aged spread’ (aka there is an increased risk of weight gain) or looking after your mental health (anxiety is a common symptom, and exercise has been shown to help release all those happy hormones!)
When we are talking about a decrease in muscular strength over the Menopause period- the pelvic floor is not exempt! It is not uncommon for women to begin to experience frequency or incontinence over these years. So when you are building your exercise program- don’t forget about those Pelvic Floor exercises! Sometimes symptoms such as these are not exclusively due to a weakened pelvic floor but can also be due to for example a less elastic bladder. Often these are the symptoms that aren’t spoken about, but can have the biggest impact on our lives- a Womans Health Physiotherapist is the best person to talk to about all things Pelvic Health, so please don’t hesitate to ask for help.
As we’ve mentioned before- everyone is different, and everyones experience during this time of life is unique. Exercise can have so many wonderful positives to help you feel empowered through what can often be an unsettling experience. A Womans Health Physiotherapist is trained to guide you through this time of life- so give your mind and body the care it deserves and come in and see how we can help you take control!
