Today on the podcast, we'll be talking about a topic that is rarely discussed openly, often seen as a taboo subject. Yet, it's a life altering health issue that affects one in three women. We're going to be talking about pelvic floor disorders and how for many women, these issues can increase substantially during perimenopause and menopause.

To help us learn more, our guest expert is Christina Machray. Christina is a highly experienced women's health physiotherapist from Embody Movement on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. She has got a special interest in women's health physiotherapy, and she helps women who have issues with incontinence, prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunction, pre and postnatal care.

Tune in as we chat about:

• Christina’s own career progression and how she landed in pelvic care and physiotherapy.

• Differentiating that while a lot of people may experience pelvic floor dysfunction, common does not equal normal.

• The role our pelvic organs plan in helping to support our spine, upper body, and daily functions.

• Changes in oestrogen and tissue as we approach perimenopause and menopause and how it can have different impacts for different people.

• Leakage. What to expect, increase in midlife, and how it can impact our lives. What role physiotherapy can play in curing and reducing incontinence (you may be surprised at the statistic!)

• Prolapses and what to think about for redefining our own midlives as women.

And as always, we learn that prevention is better than cure and please remember this episode talks about general information, it is not a one size fits all. Talking openly about a very common, yet a very personal issue really does help to remove any shame or embarrassment. So this is definitely an episode that I encourage you to share with the other women in your life.

To follow Christina and her wonderful work you can find her on:

Instagram www.instagram.com/embodymovementau/

Website www.embodymovement.com.au and

Facebook www.facebook.com/embodymovement

You can also find me on Instagram - www.instagram.com/joclarkcoaching/ and

Private Facebook Group - www.facebook.com/groups/womenswellnesscollective1.

Here’s to redefining midlife and making our next half of life even better than the first.