Hello & Welcome to this episode of the Celebrate Muliebrity podcast, where I had a great conversation with my Aussie Bestie, Fiona Rogers about the latest & greatest when it comes to using TENS for pelvic rehab. In this conversation, we talked about:

⚡️ what tens is & isn’t (hello nmes! 👋)

⚡️ we explored recent research advancements in using TENS for pelvic health, particularly for bladder and bowel urgency issues, as well as for managing pelvic pain conditions like dysmenorrhea and endometriosis

⚡️ we discussed the safety and applications during pregnancy. Fiona clarified that TENS is safe for musculoskeletal pain in pregnancy , but not over the pregnant uterus. Fiona mentioned that TENS can be used on the lower back to avoid opioid medications & mentioned some specific safety issues

⚡️ we explored tibial nerve stimulation - Fiona discussed the updated guidelines for managing urinary urgency, highlighting that transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) has been promoted to first-line treatment alongside lifestyle interventions and pelvic floor muscle training.

⚡️Fiona emphasised the cheap, effective, non-invasive nature of TTNS & also noted that it can be effective when used daily or weekly at home, with research indicating its efficacy is comparable to percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, which is typically done weekly in medical offices…and SO much much more! So many other clinical pearls to get the most out of this modality!

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You can learn more about all of this and more about Fiona & her courses here:

https://pelvicflooreducationfionarogers.com.au/

Podcast https://www.instagram.com/pelvichealthproductpodcast/

PFE Website https://www.pelvicfloorexercise.com.au

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pelvicfloorexercise/

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Want to learn more about promoting sexual health, treating dyspareunia, managing female pelvic pain, understanding the effects of different types of contraception and our evidence based role in promoting fertility, including ART/IVF? Then you might be interested in online courses, Female Sexual Health, Contraception & Fertility or Female Pelvic Pain Rehab- you can find all the details of these and all my other online courses at the links in my instagram bio (@michellelyons_muliebrity) or visit CelebrateMuliebrity.com

See you next time! Mx

#celebratemuliebrity 🥳🥳🥳

Hello & Welcome to today's episode where I had the great pleasure of chatting with my friend & colleague, Dr Sara Chan Reardon, about her new book, Floored! (out June 10th)

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Sara has built not only a successful clinical career but also a huge social media presence delivering pelvic health education, and now she’s in her writer era - her new book Floored! is now available for pre-order (with some extra goodies if you sign up via thevagwhisperer.com

In our conversation

📝We discussed the challenges of transitioning from a clinical background to writing and the importance of educating women about all aspects of their pelvic health at every life stage, from menstrual health through perinatal to menopause and beyond, including bladder, bowel and pain issues

📝Sara also emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach that includes both in-person therapy and online resources. She shared her experiences as a pelvic health pysiotherapist, highlighting the challenges of reaching patients and the importance of demystifying pelvic health issues.

📝She also discussed the challenges of writing a book on the topic, including balancing technical information with accessibility for a wider audience & the conversation also touched on the importance of empowering women to advocate for themselves in medical settings and the need for a more preventative approach to pelvic health.

📝I’ve had the pleasure reading an advance copy of Sara’s book ‘Floored’ and I think it’s going to be so valuable to both women who are interested in learning more about pelvic health at every age & stage but also to clinicians who are looking for accessible language and strategies to educate and empower women

Pre-order your copy today at your local bookshop! (Floored will be available for purchase on June 10th)

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Want to learn more about promoting sexual health, treating dyspareunia, understanding the effects of different types of contraception and our evidence based role in promoting fertility, including ART/IVF? Then you might be interested in my latest online course, Female Sexual Health, Contraception & Fertility - you can find all the details at the links in my bio or visit CelebrateMuliebrity. com

#celebratemuliebrity 🥳🥳🥳

Hello & Welcome to the Podcast! Gut Health and the Microbiome are some of my favourite things to talk, learn and think about - so who better to nerd out with about gut dysbiosis, heart rate variability (HRV), women's health and more - than Dr Susan Clinton!

In this conversation we talk about how gut dysbiosis can affect musculoskeletal health, the importance of a multi-system approach to health, what a truly integrated biopsychosocial can/ needs to look like, practical skills for pelvic health integrating heart rate variability tracking, breath work, sleep and what we can do to avoid clinician burnout...and much more!

You can find Susan at ltiphysio.com and on instagram as @sclintonpt and of course, Susan will be joining me when we are both presenting at Pelvicon in Atlanta in September (tickets are sold out but you can join us online - live virtual + recording - the link is in my bio on instagram @michellelyons_muliebrity

If you’re a women’s health professional and you’d like to learn more about menstrual, maternal or menopausal health, clinical reasoning for working with women who have a pelvic pain diagnosis such as endo or IC/BPS or vulvodynia, or you’d like to help women live well after breast or gynae or bowel cancer, or hysterectomy…or perhaps you’re interested in a femalecentric approach to bowel health or back pain? I’ve got you covered! Visit CelebrateMuliebrity.com for info on all of my online courses and find me on Instagram @michellelyons_muliebrity for all the latest in women’s health

Until next time! Onwards & Upwards! Mx

#celebratemuliebrity 🥳

May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness month so I'm delighted to share this chat I had with Dr Lizzy Deery, who is the author of this paper addressing the psychosocial factors around the return to exercise for postpartum women

The paper is open access (yay!) and is called 'From insight to action: a qualitative study of the postpartum return to recreational exercise and sport in Ireland and the UK' Deery et al 2025

In today’s episode:

We discussed the challenges of exercising during pregnancy and postpartum, & agreed that there is still a need to educate the general population about the safety and benefits of physical activity during pregnancy.

We highlighted the importance of maintaining healthy habits and the need for resources to support women in their transition to motherhood & emphasized the role of exercise in managing mental health and regaining a sense of identity after childbirth.

We also explored the challenges women face when returning to exercise after pregnancy, emphasizing the need for education, support, and tailored guidelines

We’re not even halfway through 2025 and already it’s shaping up to be a major step forward in terms of perinatal research - I’m looking forward to more conversations about this but in the meantime, if you’d like to add to your practical skills in helping women live well in the perinatal transition (as well as navigating puberty to perimenopause!) then you can find all you need to know in my online course, the Female Hormonal Health Masterclass - you can find all the details at CelebrateMuliebrity.com or at the link in my Instagram bio @michellelyons_muliebrity

See you next time, Onwards & Upwards! Mx #celebratemuliebrity 🥳💗

Hello & Welcome to the latest episode of the Celebrate Muliebrity podcast!

After a short Easter break and a trip to Prague to present at SEUD (more about that soon!) we’re back with a new podcast episode - where Dr Becky Parr and I had a great time discussing pelvic health in athletes, trauma informed care and pelvic girdle pain & pregnancy related abdominal wall neuropathy (or PRAWN 🦐)

Curious? Read on!

Becky explains that PRAWN is an umbrella term for various abdominal nerve entrapment syndromes, often misdiagnosed as round ligament pain. 

She describes the anatomy involved and how the condition develops, typically around 12 weeks of pregnancy. We explored diagnostic techniques, particularly the Carnett's test, which helps differentiate between abdominal wall pain and visceral pain, and the importance of examining the abdomen for scars and assessing myofascial mobility when treating PRAWN.

Becky has just had a paper on this topic published in the most recent issue of the pogp journal, which has become a must read resource for pelvic health clinicians under the stewardship of Grainne Donnelly at the editorial helm

We also discussed Becky’s other research interests, around the importance of integrating trauma-informed care principles into clinical practice, particularly in pelvic health settings. Becky shared her experiences teaching a mindful patient management course and conducting a longitudinal study on the impact of trauma-informed care on dpt students. 

We also discussed Becky's ongoing research on how pelvic health therapists become trauma-informed and the potential benefits of this knowledge for clinical practice and I’m looking forward to seeing this presented at IUGA in Barcelona in June. I’ll be there too, presenting about sexual health after cancer - will I see you there? Let me know!

You can find Becky on LinkedIn , ResearchGate and on instagram as @beckyparrpt

I’m there too as @michellelyons_muliebrity, where you can follow my adventures in women’s health, stay up to date with research and find out more about my online courses (or visit CelebrateMuliebrity.com)

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards! Mx #celebratemuliebrity 

Hi everyone and welcome to this episode of the Celebrate Muliebrity podcast, where I had a great conversation with Dr Tina Mapa, who has built a flourishing career delivering pelvic healthcare, with a focus on dyspareunia, completely virtually!

We talk about how telehealth is different and perhaps even superior in some regards when it comes to improving access to care and promoting self-efficacy

We did address how manual therapy and in person assessment skills can be adapted...

We discussed the importance of promoting holistic health, the evolving understanding of pelvic pain, and the benefits of telehealth for pelvic health, particularly for those who have experienced trauma or pain.

Dr. Tina discussed her background and current work in telehealth pelvic floor physical therapy, emphasising the importance of empowering patients to take charge of their own health and recovery through education. The conversation also touched on the benefits of telehealth for pelvic health, the challenges faced by women in healthcare, and the potential of a cash-based model for physical therapy.

I think this was a really thought provoking conversation which may challenge some biases! To find out more about Tina and her work, you can find her on instagram as @dr.tinamapa and @vrdxdr.tina

Want to learn more about promoting sexual health, treating dyspareunia, understanding the effects of different types of contraception and our evidence based role in promoting fertility, including ART/IVF? Then you might be interested in my latest online course, Female Sexual Health, Contraception & Fertility - you can find all the details at CelebrateMuliebrity.com

Questions or thoughts about this? Let me know!

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards, Mx

and don't forget to #celebratemuliebrity

Hello & welcome to this episode all about the intersection of hip health and pelvic health, with one of my favourite researchers/clinicians, Dr Alison Grimaldi

In this episode we discuss the interconnectedness of the pelvic floor, hip muscles, and nerves in the pelvic region, how the pelvic floor works in conjunction with other muscles, particularly the obturator internus, to support pelvic function.

We emphasized the importance of considering both pelvic floor and hip issues when treating patients, as weakness in hip muscles can affect pelvic floor function and vice versa.

The conversation also covers the potential for sciatic nerve irritation in the deep gluteal space, particularly in athletes like cyclists and trail runners, and the importance of screening for pelvic floor issues in patients with hip or buttock pain.

We shared our mutual disdain for the clamshell exercise (WHY do people recommend it?) and an exploration of Alison’s 2025 open access paper - a masterclass on gluteal tendinopathies

Want to learn more from Alison?

Here is the link to the Glasgow workshop: https://www.hampdensportsclinic.com/events/events-the-hip/

and more course info:  https://dralisongrimaldi.com/event/online-hip-workshop-lateral-hip-and-buttock-pain-2025/  

And if you’d like to learn more about the role of hormonal health in just about everything, but especially in a woman’s musculoskeletal health, head to CelebrateMuliebrity.com for info on my online Female Hormonal Health Masterclass & other courses, from Female Pelvic Pain, to Hysterectomy, Breast Cancer, Pelvic Cancer, Bowel Health & Back Pain - let me know if you have any questions via Instagram where I nerd out about women’s health as @michellelyons_muliebrity

See you next time! Mx

Hello & Welcome to this episode of the podcast, where we're talking about all things prolapse, with advanced practice women's health physio (& pilates teacher!) Leah Bryans

• ​In today’s conversation we discussed the evolution of our roles as physiotherapists, particularly in pelvic health. Leah shared her journey from not realizing the extent of what physio could do to becoming more confident in managing conditions like prolapse.
• ​We talked about the importance of continuous learning, collaboration with other professionals, and understanding the individual needs of patients, and of course I had to hop on my soapbox about the shift from being mechanics to educators, focusing on facilitating patient progress rather than fixing issues.
• ​We’re both keen to emphasise the need to consider patients' overall health, including their bladder and bowel function, fluid intake, and diet. We also highlighted the significance of assessing patients' pelvic floor movement and identifying risk factors for prolapse
• ​We discussed the potential benefits and challenges of using pessaries for postnatal women, and noted that some women may be hesitant to try pessaries due to psychological barriers, while others may not be seen early enough in primary care or public systems to receive this treatment
• ​We also discussed the importance of building confidence and gradually increasing strength in patients, particularly those with pelvic health issues.
• ​It’s important to remember the the need for a low-threat approach to exercise, focusing on breathwork, relaxation, flexibility, and proprioception at first. We also highlighted the benefits of Pilates as a gateway to heavier lifting and osteogenic activities.
• ​The conversation concluded with the importance of education in helping patients manage their conditions, including the use of tools like the femmeze for splinting during bowel movements.

Leah teaches a prolapse management course with Suzanne Carney (@anatomy-_physiotherapy) and they have an upcoming event in May - contact them for details!

And if you’d like to learn more about my online courses, please visit CelebrateMuliebrity.com

Until next time, Onwards and Upwards! Mx #celebratemuliebrity 🥳💗

Hello & Welcome to this week's episode, all about Food, Mood & Menopause with Dr Trish Heavey

Trish is a nutrition and menopause researcher at TUS here in Ireland and brings a practical and evidence based perspective to helping women life well during this transition

In today’s episode, we talked about:

how lifestyle strategies such as exercise & sleep are important at menopause but nutrition is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle

Hormones vs Lifestyle? As Trish says, ‘you can’t outrun a bad diet’

Better diet = Fewer symptoms

Key foods to eat (and avoid) for overall health but especially mental health

Low fat vs healthy fats, diet vs lifestyle and bad news for alcohol

Why education and shared experiences are the key to empowering women at midlife

And much more!! I really enjoyed this chat and hope you enjoyed the many pearls of wisdom that Trish shared!

And if you’re a women’s health professional and you want to learn more about helping women live well before, during and after menopause, my online courses are exactly what you need - check out the Female Hormonal Health Masterclass at CelebrateMuliebrity.com or visit the link in my instagram bio @michellelyons_muliebrity

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards! Mx #celebratemuliebrity 🥳

My first male guest on the podcast - who better than Bill Taylor!

I've known Bill for ages and we can talk and talk and talk... Bill is a brilliant clinician and a great friend. We had intended to talk about pelvic neuralgias, and what makes us suspect or rule out the pudendal but...we actually ended up talking about male pelvic health (seems inevitable in hindsight with my first male guest!)

Don't despair - I'm already working on getting Bill back for a chat about pelvic neuralgias - coming soon!

We talked about male pelvic pain, sexual health, the differences (and similarities) between male and female patients and we we need more of the male perspective in pelvic rehab

Bill was brilliant at Pelvicon last year and he's doing a position this year. In person tickets are sold out but you can purchase live online access to the main conference and get access to the recordings and manual here: https://pelvicon.mykajabi.com/offers/PfHzpsoW

I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed chatting - remember if you'd like to learn more about my online women's health courses, all the info can be found at my website, CelebrateMuliebrity.com

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards, Mx