Managing Menopause for Physiotherapists & Health Professionals

Treating and supporting women through perimenopause, menopause and beyond.

A 1 day LIVE ONLINE via zoom course for Physiotherapists and healthcare professionals to increase their knowledge on the changes experienced by women at this life stage, and the impact this has on treatment and management plans.

All women will go through menopause and as healthcare professionals, whatever our speciality, women’s health or MSK, we will see these women for conditions some influenced directly by hormonal and menopause changes and others that need an understanding of the impact menopausal symptoms can have.

Menopausal symptoms are varied, from pelvic floor changes and muscle and joint aches and pains, weight gain, hot flushes and mood swings. Not all women will have all symptoms and this life transition is individual for each woman.

What we do see, is that this happens at a time in women’s life when they have many other commitments; work and career, elderly parents, growing children, maintaining existing or developing new relationships.

This can make it hard for them to be consistent with an exercise programme, their rehab or to take time out for themselves.

There is increasing evidence of the value of a holistic and biopsychosocial approach to supporting these women.

This course will develop healthcare professionals’ skills to offer a clinically reasoned approach to do that, structuring treatment, management of symptoms and lifestyle strategies on an ongoing basis to improve outcomes and long-term quality of life.

What will be covered:

• The common symptoms and hormonal changes of menopause.

• Pelvic floor health - what’s normal and what’s not:

• Pelvic floor function - assessing and identifying changes

• Urinary tract infections, vaginal atrophy, sexual function and libido, incontinence,

pelvic organ prolapse.

• Musculoskeletal issues:

• Joint and muscle pain, common injuries, fatigue.

• Maintaining bone and joint health during menopause.

• Menopause following illness:

• Cancer and hysterectomy, early menopause. Health and treatment

considerations.

• HRT the evidence and experience now – Dr Fionnuala Barton,

(www.themenopausemedic.com)

• Treatment and management approaches to improve compliance and outcomes:

• Optimising pelvic floor function.

• The right activity and exercise to build/maintain strength and cardiovascular

fitness.

• Using the current evidence to develop effective rehabilitation and exercise

programmes to maintain and improve fitness.

• Yoga-based breath and relaxation practices to help manage pelvic pain, stress

and anxiety.

• The importance of lifestyle strategies:

• How sleep, stress management and nutrition all help menopausal symptoms and

quality of life going forward.

• Developing a BPS approach to treating these women and positively impacting

their menopause transition.

Course aims and objectives

Participants will be able to: -

• Understand the hormonal changes and symptoms around perimenopause,

menopause and beyond.

• Develop an understanding of HRT, the options available and who/when to

signpost effectively.

• Understand changes to pelvic health;

o Techniques to help ease symptoms, maintain function

• Understand the common musculoskeletal changes and use the evidence to offer

safe and effective exercise programmes for this group.

• Use breathwork to help balance the nervous system.

• Understand the implications of early menopause whether due to surgery or

illness;

o Hysterectomy, women’s cancers.

• An understanding of how lifestyle strategies such as sleep, stress management

and nutrition can help menopausal symptoms and quality of life going forward.

• The ability to sensitively offer advice on these strategies and self-care

techniques, and when to refer on to another specialist.

The course is taught by Sarah Marsh, women’s health physiotherapist, yoga teacher, wellbeing presenter and coach with guest presenter Dr Fionnula Barton.

Tutor: Sarah Marsh, women’s health physiotherapist, yoga teacher and wellbeing presenter and coach. Sarah presented one of the live face to face 1st UK Menopause courses in 2019 for physiotherapists and health professionals . She has also presented this course live online via zoom previously.

Sarah works with women to ensure healthy ageing at all life stages. She is passionate about educating women on menopause and helping them to go through this transition and emerge stronger, wiser, happier and healthier in body and mind and to look forward to the next stage of their lives. Sarah presents and coaches in the UK and internationally on wellbeing; stress, sleep and managing menopause.    

Dr Fionnuala Barton MBBS BSc MRCGP (The Menopause Medic)

She is passionate about optimising physical and emotional wellness for women at all stages of life and has particular interest in early recognition and management of perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, POI, PMS and PMDD.

She draws on a wealth of clinical and personal experience to provide an empathetic, holistic, personalised, and proactive, evidence-based hormone therapy approach.