Hello and welcome to today's conversation with Andrew McCauley, a clinical specialist physiotherapist in lower limb/strength & conditioning, from Ireland and now based in the UK

In today's conversation, we talk about Andrew's journey as a physio, a coach and an educator, teaching therapists how to communicate effectively, especially around integrating strength and conditioning principles into rehab (and why I think he's a covert pelvic physio...)

We talked about the importance of being a good communicator, especially when working with people in pain, building trust and creating a safe space, for discussing sensitive topics such as pelvic health.

We also explored the principles of strength and conditioning, focusing on the importance of understanding concepts like stability and progressive overload. Andrew talked about how easy it can be for us to overlook the basics, but how we can effectively conduct strength training exercises without equipment, highlighting the need for effort and proper rest (we also discussed how we can intersect the worlds of pelvic health and strength training)

We discussed exercise prescription strategies, how to adapt exercises based on patient characteristics and goals and how to get really good at asking better questions...as well as Therapist Anxiety Syndrome (you'll have to listen to find out more!)

Andrew is all about empowering patients through clear goal setting and enhancing physio education and practice - I'm excited to be a student on Andrew's upcoming course, integrating coaching principles with strength and conditioning principles. His course in Ireland will be in beautiful Sligo but he teaches all over the UK as well - all the details on his instagram @procaresports

Here’s the link to the paper Andrew mentioned: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37414459/

🥳🥳🥳

Want to learn more about helping women at every age and stage? My online courses, from The Menstrual Detective to Perinatal Pelvic Health to The Menopausal Toolbox, Breast Cancer to Pelvic Oncology, Back Pain to Bowel Function are all available at CelebrateMuliebrity.com and you can follow my continuing adventure in women's health on instagram @michellelyons_muliebrity

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards! Mx

What happens when we combine MSK and Pelvic physio perspectives? You end up with a great conversation about female hip health - covering puberty, postpartum and perimenopause! In today's episode, I'm joined by hip specialist, Benoy Mathew, to chat about female hip health at every age and stage! Benoy is a physiotherapist based in London, and we discussed the unique challenges and presentations of hip and groin issues in female patients, highlighting the significant gender disparities in diagnosis and treatment

We explored strategies for managing running-related injuries in female athletes, emphasizing the importance of proper nutrition, load management, and collaboration between different healthcare professionals. The discussion also covered postnatal running challenges, gluteal tendinopathy, and hip tendinopathy, highlighting the need for comprehensive care that considers both physical and pelvic health aspects.

We also talked about:

• • why we need to continue raising awareness about early identification of hip pathologies in women
  • why we need to incorporate pelvic health screening in hip and groin assessments
  • the promotion of education on the importance of cross-screening between MSK and pelvic health specialists 
  • asking the 5th question about menstrual cycle regularity when assessing female athletes for potential bone stress injuries
  • Benoy's five key questions for female runners with hip and groin pain
  • education about the importance of multidirectional sports before age 20 for bone health in females
  • and much more!

You can find and follow Benoy on social media @function2fitness and his courses are available at Clinical Edge and PhysioTutors

And if you'd like more info about optimising female health at every age and stage, whether you're interested in the young female athlete (check out The Menstrual Detective), supporting women in their perinatal year (visit Perinatal Pelvic Rehab) or if helping women live well before, during & after menopause is your passion, the Flourish! The Menopausal Toolbox might be a good fit for you! All of the course info is at CelebrateMuliebrity.com or find me on instagram @michellelyons_muliebrity

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards! Mx #celebratemuliebrity

To celebrate the launch of the new Perinatal Pelvic Rehab course, I'm excited to share this exciting & empowering conversation with Dr Jessica Gingerich about working with women in pregnancy & postpartum from an evidence based perspective

We discussed the new guidelines, how you CAN lift more than 20 lbs, you CAN run, when do you really need to pull back...and more?

We emphasised the need for healthcare providers to be updated on current research guidelines and the benefits of aerobic & resistance training (moving beyond yellow theraband!) during pregnancy, and the recent paper that she was a co-author on:Resistance training in pregnancy: systematic review and meta-analysis of pregnancy, delivery, fetal and pelvic floor outcomes and call to action (Prevett et al 2025)

We also discussed the prevalence of pelvic health issues among young female athletes, highlighting the need for increased awareness and screening, and emphasized the importance of educating athletes about their bodies and the implications of energy deficiency in sports, particularly for menstrual health.

We talked about the importance of appropriate pelvic floor muscle training, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that includes both strength and flexibility. We also explored the societal conditioning around discussing and training the pelvic floor, noting how cultural norms and sexual education influence perceptions, as well as the importance of applying common sense and individualized approaches when training pregnant individuals, advocating for appropriate dosing and modifications based on the person's condition rather than following a rigid program.

We highlighted the need for coaches to be attuned to clients' symptoms and to adjust training intensity and progression accordingly, especially during pregnancy when hormonal and physical changes can impact performance and recovery. Make sure you're following Jess @jessicagingerichdpt on instagram too!Are you fired up about working with perinatal clients yet?! Join me in the new Perinatal Pelvic Rehab course, available now, for evidence based strategies to help women live well before, during & after pre-conception to pregnancy to postpartum...and beyond! All of the details are on CelebrateMuliebrity.com and you can find out more about all of my adventures in women's health on instagram @michellelyons_muliebrity

Thanks for being here & see you next time!

Onwards & Upwards, Mx #celebratemuliebrity

The Podcast Has Returned! After a brief hiatus, we're back with a great conversation on musculoskeletal health at menopause - does MHT make a difference to tendon health?

In this episode, we discussed:

• Rachael's paper & research on tendons and menopause, comparing exercise, education and MHT for GTPS aka gluteal tendinopathy
• the role of oestrogen & inflammation in musculoskeletal care
• how current research has a focus on oestrogen, but how the roles of testosterone & progesterone are being increasingly investigated




Rachael is doing great work as both a clinician and researcher and is really highlighting how menopausal tendons are different, the roles of hormones but also of inflammation and the impact of overweight/obesity. She makes complex science understandable and applicable and I can't wait to see where her research takes us in the future! You can follow her progress in this area on ResearchGate.

Want to learn more about the intersection of hormonal health and musculoskeletal health at menopause? My brand new Menopause course is available NOW! (and when you sign up you'll get the Hysterectomy Rehab to Rehab course FOR FREE!) All of the details to sign up are at CelebrateMuliebrity.com

Lots of great episodes coming up over the next few weeks, on hip health, REDs, exercise in pregnancy and more - make sure you're subscribed (a rating & review is always appreciated!) and follow me on instagram @michellelyons_muliebrity for all the latest on my adventures in women's health

Until next time,

Onwards & Upwards,

Mx

#celebratemuliebrity

Hello and Welcome to this week's episode with the inimitable Julie Wiebe!

Julie has been in this space for a long time and has done so much to advance the importance of looking at pelvic health from a systems approach.

In this conversation:

Julie shared her journey from sports medicine to pelvic floor therapy, emphasizing her mission to integrate pelvic health into broader fitness and athletic contexts.

She highlighted the importance of breath strategies and coordination in movement, and discussed her academic work to improve clinical understanding and research quality in pelvic health.

Julie recently attended the Female Athlete Conference in Boston, where she noted an explosion of interest and research in the field, particularly in perinatal care and female athlete health.

She also discussed the need for better screening methods for conditions like RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), as traditional menstrual cycle screening may not be reliable.We also talked about the importance of early detection and prevention of pelvic health issues in athletes, emphasizing the need to move beyond the current screening and referral paradigm. We agreed on the necessity of educating coaches, athletes, and medical teams at various levels to normalize conversations around pelvic health at every age and stage, as well as the need for a more nuanced, multidisciplinary approach to treating pelvic health issues, incorporating factors like biomechanics, hormones, and individualized treatment plans... and much much more!

Julie is on instagram as @juliewiebept and you can find all of her course info at juliewiebept.com.

Want to take a deeper dive and become a Menstrual Detective? My latest course is live now, and does a deep dive into the MC and what can go wrong...and what we're going to do about it! And...when you sign up now...you'll get access to the new course 'Pelvic Health for the Young Female Athlete' FOR FREE when it goes live in December! You can find all of the course info on my instagram @michellelyons_muliebrity or at me website CelebrateMuliebrity.com

Until next time,

Onwards & Upwards, Mx!

Hello & Welcome! In today's episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Suzanne Carney, who is a brilliant pelvic physio, with a special interest in breast health. I had the pleasure of meeting Suzanne about 10 years ago wgen I was teaching in Perth, Australia, and now we have the pleasure of having Suzanne living, working & teaching in Ireland.

We covered a LOT of ground in this chat, including:

• Genitourinary Syndrome of Lactation
• Return to exercise postnatally - when you're breastfeeding
• Breast health - what's our role?
• Spotting the signs of blockage/infection in breastfeeding women
• The rehab toolbox for breast health - manual therapy, modalities, lymphatic taping and more
• breastfeeding and fertility
• pelvic health for children, teenagers...and teachers!

Suzanne has a fantastic combination of clinical experience and evidence based practice to support whole person health, and she has some great courses coming up, on breast health, prolapse management and paediatric continence - you can find her on instagram as @anatomy_physiotherapy

If you're listening to this on the day it drops, you may have heard that The Menstrual Detective is now live and is available with pre-launch pricing...but the price goes up September 1st! (and don't forget you'll get access to the course 'Pelvic Health for The Young Female Athlete this December !) All of the details are on my instagram @michellelyons_muliebrity or visit CelebrateMuliebrity.com

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

Hello & Welcome To The Podcast!

Today, I'm joined by Eleanor & Jess from PelvicRelief where we'll be discussing all things microbiome and pelvic health, in conditions like fertility, UTIs, and menopausal health. We also explored the role of diet, probiotics, and specific Lactobacillus strains in maintaining vaginal health, and the challenges of prescribing beneficial supplements, emphasizing the importance of accurate diagnosis and treatment.

We discussed the challenges and distressing nature of recurrent UTIs and other vulvovaginal infections, emphasizing the need for effective & multi-modal solutions to manage these conditions

We talked about the vaginal microbiome, emphasizing the importance of Lactobacillus dominance for maintaining an acidic environment, and explored common imbalances like bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections, and their potential impact on fertility and overall health.

The conversation highlights the role of estrogen in maintaining vaginal health, particularly during peri-menopause and post-menopause. Jess and Eleanor stressed the importance of accurate diagnosis and treatment, cautioning against overuse of over-the-counter medications. The discussion also touches on the relationship between the bladder and vaginal microbiomes, and the impact of cancer treatments on vaginal health, and much more!

For more info: make sure to visit pelvicrelief.co.uk and they are also on Instagram @pelvicrelief. I have much excitement about these products' potential to provide a more specific and bespoke approach to pelvic relief - looking forward to hearing more as the science continues to evolve!

If you'd like to learn more about women's health, from back pain to bowel health, menstrual to menopausal health, pelvic pain and femalecentric oncology rehab - all of my online courses are available at https://celebratemuliebrity.com/

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards! Mx #celebratemuliebrity.com

Hello & Welcome to today's episode where we take a deep dive into sports medicine specific pelvic health. I'm delighted to chat with two friends and colleagues in New Zealand, Niamh Clerkin & Rebecca Dodson.

In this chat, we chat about how we can better meet the pelvic health needs of young female athletes and how we can spread the word more effectively

Niamh & Becs talk about their experience in getting involved with NZ netball, rugby & gymnastics - they have been working to improve pelvic health knowledge at both community and high performance levels. They shared what's worked well for them in terms of communication with both athletes and coaches and how to relate pelvic health to performance, relating pelvic health to sports injuries - not that different from managing calf strains!

They discussed enhancing communication skills for coaches, and always keeping the athlete's needs at the centre of their conversation

You can find the resource they developed at https://netballsmart.co.nz/component/nnzlibrary/download/080ae7a3e1f5000e11ba055c28a3a27e.html

You can also find information about the fabulous products Niamh & her colleagues have developed at https://nunatural.co/

Want to learn more about the young female athlete? About optimising menstrual health? Stay tuned for my NEW COURSE 'The Menstrual Detective' coming soon (and you'll get the 'Pelvic Health for the Young Female Athlete' FOR FREE. There will be special pre-launch pricing announcements soon...make sure you're following me on instagram for all the info (you can me on instagram as @michellelyons_muliebrity -

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards, Mx

Visit celebratemuliebrity.com for online course information

Hello & Welcome to this episode - it's just me this week, taking a look at what's new in the understanding, assessment & effective treatment of vulvodynia

All this week, I’ve been recording and uploading lectures and handouts and resources to the brand new vulvodynia module of my online Female Pelvic Pain Rehab course - and I wanted to share some of the highlights here in the podcast

The past 12 months have produced not only interest but clinically relevant research - it’s a great time to be working in pelvic pain rehab and one of my favourite things to do is to nerd out in the literature and see what’s clinically relevant

There’s been a nice mix, from case reports to systematic reviews with meta analyses - and I love to see a growing awareness of the importance of a multimodal (and always non-nociceptive!) approach, whether considering trauma informed assessment interviewing skills to what we need to add to the pelvic rehab treatment toolbox to a library of handouts we can give to our patients

Vulvodynia can be a scary diagnosis for both clinician and patient, so I want to take the fear factor away and create a paradigm or flowchart for clinical reasoning, from ruling out differential diagnoses to looking at what the evidence supports for treatment options (spoiler: it’s more than just using/ progression through a dilator set!)

If you’re already enrolled in the online Female Pelvic Pain course, you don’t need to do anything - everything is uploaded in the portal….and if you haven’t signed up yet…come and join us! Apart from vulvodynia, you can take a deep dive into endometriosis, IC/Bladder Pain Syndrome, Pelvic Neuralgias, Female Sexual Pain and more! All through a biopsychosocial, pelvic rehab meets lifestyle, evidence based approach!

All the details at CelebrateMuliebrity.com 🥳💗

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards! Mx

#celebratemuliebrity

From good communication to gait analysis - Matt Phillips is a friend and colleague who is one of the most thoughtful and curious therapists that I've had the pleasure of connecting with over the past few years. If you're in the UK, you'll be familiar with Matt via the Sports Therapy Association or TherapyExpo or perhaps you've been a fan of his podcast/youtube broadcasts. His passion is as a conduit of information and driving the therapy professions forward.

In today's chat, we discussed:

• the importance (and skill) of good communication
• running analysis (is pronation the devil?) and how this can enhance the therapeutic alliance
• why the rate of running related injuries isn't decreasing
• communicating with runners about behaviour change
• why we can't tell runners to 'just stop running' (because they won't)
• updating our frames of reference when new information becomes available - integrating lifestyle & cross training into running rehab
• are there differences between female and male runners?

and much much more! Matt really brings an evidence based and biopsychosocial approach to working with human beings who want to run but are in pain - make sure you're following him on instagram @runchatlive and you can find details of his courses and events - including the upcoming Hands on Hub STA conference happening in September in Exmouth (spoiler: I'll be there too, talking about Menstrual Health & Female Athletes). Hope to see lots of you there!

Want to learn more? My online courses on menstrual to menopausal health and everything in between, from pelvic and back pain, to breast/gynae cancer rehab, hysterectomy to bowel health - all through a femalecentric, biopsychosocial and evidence based lens -with immediately useful information. All the details can be found in my instagram bio (@michellelyons_muliebrity) or at my website, CelebrateMuliebrity.com

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards, Mx