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In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Brooke Winder, physical therapist and Associate Professor at California State University Long Beach, where she leads the Dance Science program and mentors young dancers on optimizing their health, performance, and injury prevention.

Brooke specializes in supporting artistic athletes—including dancers, aerialists, and circus performers—through orthopedic rehabilitation, pelvic floor physical therapy, and hypermobility management.

We dive into her research on pelvic floor function in performing artists, explore the unique physical demands of dance, aerial work, and circus arts, and unpack how hypermobility, high-tone pelvic floors, and systemic conditions like POTS and MCAS intersect in this population.

Brooke also shares strategies for pregnancy and postpartum recovery in hypermobile bodies, plus how to stay strong, stable, and resilient across every stage of life—from peak performance years to parenting and beyond.

In this episode, we cover:
🔹 Systemic issues linked to hypermobility
🔹 Building support and stability at end ranges of motion
🔹 Pelvic floor challenges unique to dancers and circus artists
🔹 Strategies to manage a high-tone pelvic floor
🔹 Staying active and mobile through all stages of life

Whether you’re a performing artist, a former dancer or gymnast, or a mom navigating postpartum recovery, this conversation will give you the tools and insights to make your flexibility work for you—not against you.

Time Stamps

1:00 Introduction

6:04 hypermobility in the dance community

9:00 mobility after dance

13:10 the pelvic floor and dance

27:06 circus performers and aerialists

30:32 hypermobility explained

34:38 POTS and MCAS

42:06 neurodivergence and hypermobility

46:08 dancers in pregnancy and postpartum

50:48 looking at a survey study

60:28 rapid fire questions

CONNECT WITH CARRIE

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/

Website: https://carriepagliano.com

CONNECT WITH BROOKE:

Website: www.renewmotionpt.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/drbrookewinderpt/

The Active Mom Podcast is A Real Moms' Guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond for active moms & the professionals who help them in their journey.

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