Menopause Awareness Month
- jdimaggio1214
- Oct 16
- 3 min read
Five years ago, while I was 38 years old and my girls were 3 and 5 years old, menopause was quite possible the furthest from my mind. I saw a course with these two women (Snowden and Litos) on Menopause. I had just started my Pelvic Health PT journey earlier that year, and thought this would be a great adjunct. After the 16 hour course (and several hundred dollars) I was in complete shock that I knew nothing about this, and probably no one was going to tell me either.
Taking that class, set wheels in motion for not only how to help other women, but how to prepare myself to enter that part of my life. Change is the only thing we can rely on (or so my mother used to tell me), but it doesn't have to be scary and you can set the foundation on which to change on.
Navigating Menopause with Confidence: The Role of Physical Therapy
Snowden and Litos; Empowering Women Through Healthcare Education
"Menopause-trained physical therapists (PTs) are stepping in to help bridge this gap in care. With their doctoral-level training, deep knowledge of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular health, and advanced training in pelvic floor dysfunctions, these professionals are uniquely positioned to assist."
We are fortunate to be in a time where there is growing awareness and resources around menopause. You should feel happy, healthy, strong and confident in your body during this time. If you aren't, there are so many people out there to help. (Keep scrolling for post menopause take aways!! )
My Menopause Certification is with the Menopause Society, and they continue to remain as one of my favorite menopause resources. They provide evidence-based resources for healthcare professionals, researchers, the media, and the public around the menopause transition and life afterwards.
They have a ton of free patient-based resources, videos, podcasts, information sheets and more. You can also use their website, to find various practitioners (GYN, PCP, etc) who are also certified in menopause.
Don't forget to take this time to laugh a little more...
“Menopause: the time in a woman’s life where ‘Are you hot?’ is no longer a pick-up line.” – Anonymous
“A study says owning a dog makes you 10 years younger. My first thought was to rescue two more, but I don’t want to go through menopause again.” ~ Joan Rivers
“Menopause is like having a permanent campfire inside you, except there are no marshmallows involved.” – Anonymous
“Menopause is just puberty’s evil older sister.” – Anonymous
Fitness and Weight Gain Specific Resources
Weight gain is one of the biggest complaints during the perimenopause and menopause transition. As we navigate midlife, hormonal shifts can significantly impact our bodies, leading to changes in metabolism, fat storage, and insulin sensitivity. Many women find that despite maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise, they still experience weight fluctuations. This can be frustrating and confusing, leaving you questioning your efforts.
I'm way past menopause! How does this help me now?
While the awareness of menopause is better today, it still has a long way to go. I cannot imagine the frustration of so many women about the lack of education, support and understanding around menopause in previous years.
I think one of the most helpful tools around today is vaginal estrogen. The vaginal tissue loves estrogen, which helps with elasticity, collagen turnover, moisture and plumpness. It also helps to control the pH level to prevent infections (UTIs). Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is the term given to changes in our genital and urinary systems after menopause. It includes urinary leakage, painful sex, dryness and more. Vaginal estrogen is topical, considere extremely safe and a tremendous help for GSM. I have great handouts on this if you want - just email me and I can send them over :)
There is a better understanding between the role of estrogen and both bone building and muscle mass. We lose on average 10% of bone mass in the first year after menopause, and up to 20% in the first 5 years. This research tells us that as women, we need to be lifting heavier weights, more often and to incorporate dynamic movements into our workouts. All of these help with heart health. Which is incredibly important because heart disease is the leading cause of death in women (!!!!), and estrogen also supports our heart health!