How physical therapy can help during menopause

Menopause and perimenopause can cause big changes in the way your body functions. Hormone levels shift and the body must adapt to a new environment. Sometimes this leads to common total body symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, and brain fog, but menopause changes can be much more specific for different people. Here are a few of the symptoms we see the most at Revive Rehab:

• Frozen shoulder: Frozen shoulder during menopause is caused by hormone changes and joint capsule thickening and stiffness. Physical therapy can improve range of motion, maintain function, and help guide the need for further treatment. If you have noticed shoulder stiffness, pain, or dysfunction it is important to begin treatment early for the quickest recovery.

• Urinary leakage: Urinary leakage during menopause or menopause incontinence is more common than you might think. When estrogen levels drop, weakness can develop in the pelvic floor muscles. Without good strength and control, leaking and incontinence can be unavoidable. Pelvic floor therapists can create an individualized plan to improve strength and teach the best strategies to prevent leaking. Pelvic floor PT is so much more than just Kegels. Call Revive Rehab for a full exam and get your confidence back without all those bathroom breaks.

• Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP): Pelvic organ prolapse during menopause is another product of dropping hormone levels and pelvic floor muscle thinning and weakness. This can be scary because the symptoms are often a new feeling of pressure or heaviness in the vagina, sometimes even with a visual bulge. Pelvic floor physical therapy uses exercise, pressure management practice, and manual techniques to improve symptoms and reduce the frequency and amount of prolapse you feel. Sometimes, specially designed wearable devices are needed and our team can help guide you through the most up to date recommendations.

• Low Back Pain: Lower back pain during menopause can be from a few different reasons. Menopause causes bone loss, joint stiffness, and muscle weakness which can all contribute to low back pain. Increased inflammation during menopause can also make it more difficult to exercise or cause joint pain directly. As we already discussed, muscle loss in your abdominals and pelvic floor also give less support to your low back, creating more work and strain throughout your back. If you have noticed more discomfort in your lower back or SI joint, physical therapy can help. By evaluating the strength and mobility of your back and surrounding muscles, the Revive Rehab therapists can help combat the typical loss of muscle and bone through targeted exercises. Pelvic floor therapists have a unique expertise when it comes to treating low back pain during menopause. By being able to evaluate and treat the pelvic floor, abs, and low back together our team can build a plan that fits your current needs and get to the root of your low back pain.