Managing Menopause for Physiotherapists & healthcare professionals

Treating and supporting women during peri-menopause, menopause and beyond.

A new 2-day course for Physiotherapists & healthcare professionals using a biopsychosocial approach to help manage this important transition in all women’s lives.

This course will look at the latest evidence and research and provide you with proven strategies and tools to work effectively with this group of women.

There are many symptoms of menopause including pelvic floor issues, pelvic pain, bladder dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapse, vaginal atrophy, bowel disorders, joint pain, osteoporosis, hot flushes, extreme fatigue and mood swings. Most women will experience some or all of these, and with differing levels of severity during their menopause journey. For many of these women approaching menopause comes with the continued commitments of elderly parents/growing children, work/career and maintaining existing or embarking upon new relationships. To effectively help this group requires an understanding of these challenges.

There is increasing evidence for a multi-faceted biopsychosocial approach to managing these symptoms. Combining appropriate medical treatment: HRT, pelvic health and musculoskeletal rehabilitation with a wellbeing and lifestyle management approach.

This course will develop your skills to offer a clinically reasoned approach to pelvic and musculoskeletal health and safe and effective exercise programmes for women at all stages of menopause.

What will be covered: This content will be delivered by a consultant gynaecologist & menopause specialist and women’s health physiotherapist

Section 1: Symptom assessment.

• The dance of our hormones - hormonal changes before during and after menopause; current research and advice on HRT including body and bio-identical hormones.

• Pelvic and sexual health; changes to the pelvic floor- urinary tract infections, vaginal atrophy, sexual function and libido, incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse. Pelvic floor assessment – when to assess internally. The link with breath, core and pelvic floor.

• Menopause following illness; cancer and hysterectomy, early menopause. Health and treatment considerations.

• Musculoskeletal issues - joint and muscle pain, fatigue, increases in osteoporotic and cardiovascular risk. Maintaining bone and joint health during menopause.

• The patient perspective: The experiences of pelvic health dysfunction, vaginal atrophy and the menopausal journey “ My Menopausal Vagina”.

Section 2: Management and treatment. This section will review the latest research and develop skills to design an effective personalised treatment and rehabilitation plan;

• Pelvic floor and pelvic health – manual therapy techniques and exercises for pelvic floor health: sexual health, UTI’s and vaginal atrophy.  

• Activity – the right exercise and activity to manage osteoporotic and CV risk, maintain strength, flexibility and endurance. Loss of fitness and weight increase is not inevitable – how to manage this. Considerations for bone and joint health.

• Diet and weight management – foods that can help and the impact of stimulants- caffeine, sugar, alcohol.

• Stress management; the mind/body connection - developing a breath/relaxation or mindfulness practice. The evidence for yoga and breath practices. Yoga postures to reduce and manage menopausal and adrenal symptoms.

• Lifestyle management; strategies for sleep and stress management. Self-management techniques to manage this stage of life.

• The patient perspective : Strategies to improve vaginal health, pelvic floor dysfunction and return to intimacy “ My Menopausal Vagina”

Course aims and objectives - Participants will be able to: -

• Understand the hormonal changes and symptoms in peri, menopause and post menopause.

• Develop an understanding of HRT and the options available.  

• Identify the changes around pelvic and musculoskeletal systems during this period.

• Gain an understanding of how pelvic, vaginal, physical and mental health is affected by the menopause from an expert patient and menopause advocate.

• Assess the pelvic floor and offer manual therapy techniques and exercises to ease symptoms.

• Understand and treat the implications of early menopause and hysterectomy.  

• The ability through clinical reasoning to offer a safe and effective exercise programmes for this group to minimise and improve risks around osteoporosis and heart disease, including weight bearing, cardiovascular and yoga-based exercises.

• An understanding of how lifestyle strategies such as sleep, stress management and diet 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 a GP/consultant.

Tutor: Sarah Marsh, women’s health physiotherapist, yoga teacher and wellbeing presenter and coach. 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.    

Guest Presenters

Mrs Jane Lewis: Menopause Advocate, expert patient and author “Me & My Menopausal Vagina”

Miss Poonam Pradham, Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology , Specialist in Menopause, gynaecological ultrasound / scanning; Pelvic pain; PCOS; Prolapse. MUMS Clinic, Solihull, West Midlands UK