Menopause is a natural stage in a women’s life but can be fraught with anxiety as your body is once again changing. Menopause can impact your sense of self, your confidence, your interests, and your entire body.

A women’s health physiotherapist can support you through changes in weight, decreases in bone strength, vaginal dryness or irritation, sexual pain, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary leakage or any other symptom which may be affecting you.

Menopause Terminology

Menopause is officially marked by a single day—the point at which a woman has not menstruated for 12 consecutive months. This milestone signals the end of natural menstrual cycles and the beginning of a new phase in life.
However, “menopause” is often used more broadly to describe the entire transition, which includes:

• Perimenopause: The years leading up to menopause, when hormone levels begin to fluctuate, bringing physical, mental and emotional changes.
• Menopause: “The Big Day.”
• Post-Menopause: The period after menopause, when symptoms may continue as the body adjusts to lower hormone levels.

How Can We Help You?

During perimenopause and beyond, fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone can have a wide-ranging impact on multiple aspects of health. Managing these issues effectively requires a multidisciplinary approach. Here’s how a Women’s Health Physiotherapist can support you through common menopausal changes:

1. Mental Health

Hormonal shifts during perimenopause can lead to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, and brain fog, impacting emotional well-being and cognitive clarity. Our Women’s Health Physiotherapists can support you by:

• Prescribing tailored exercise programs that promote endorphin release and improve mood, helping to alleviate anxiety and depression.
• Teaching stress management techniques like mindfulness and breathwork. With daily practice, these methods help reduce stress, enhance sleep quality, and support mental clarity and emotional balance.

2. Heart Health

Lower oestrogen levels can increase cardiovascular risk. Our team work with you to determine the cardiovascular exercises that best meet your needs. Some women may require education and support to build the fitness level necessary for optimal heart health, and our team has the expertise to guide you every step of the way.
Good heart health means strengthening the heart and improving circulation, ensuring that blood vessels effectively deliver nutrients and remove waste from muscles and organs—both of which are crucial for long-term wellness.

3. Muscles, Bones, Ligaments, and Joints – Musculoskeletal Changes

The decline in oestrogen can lead to what is known as the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause. These changes include decreased bone density (increasing osteoporosis risk), joint pain, stiffness, and reduced muscle strength, impacting daily function and mobility. Our Women’s Health Physiotherapists and Exercise Physiologist are equipped to provide:
• Core-focused exercises to support pelvic floor stability, diaphragm function, and postural muscle tone—essential for musculoskeletal health and alignment.
• Strength and resistance training programs that promote muscle tone and increase bone density, helping to reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
• Manual therapy to relieve joint pain and stiffness, helping to maintain flexibility and full range of motion so that muscles are optimized for strength across their full functional range.

4. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM)

GSM encompasses symptoms caused by decreased oestrogen, affecting the urinary and genital systems. Symptoms may include vaginal dryness, irritation, discomfort during intercourse, and urinary issues like frequency, urgency, or incontinence, all of which can impact intimacy, self-esteem, and quality of life. Our Women’s Health Physiotherapists can assist with:

• Rebuilding core strength and co-ordination of breath, core, pelvic floor and movement.
• Pelvic floor rehabilitation: Strengthening pelvic muscles to alleviate symptoms of urinary incontinence and enhance sexual function.
• Education and support: Providing guidance on lubrication, gentle exercises, and lifestyle modifications to help you feel empowered in managing GSM.

We are committed to providing comprehensive care for all these issues in one convenient place.