Fiona Rogers is baaackkk! I bugged her to join me to talk about using electrical stimulation for the #pelvicfloor because I do not know enough about it (my brain can only hold so much information!). I have watched her dive deep into the research behind this for years and develop her course "Electrical Stimulation for Pelvic Health: An advanced course for health professionals" - which is now online! Click on the name of that course to find out more.

Listening to her has made me excited to use this option more for those who may need it, and understand so much more about parameters AND why all probes will not work for all women!

Listen and enjoy and a big thanks to Always Discreet for sponsoring this episode of The Pelvic Health Podcast. Head to Always Discreet to learn more about bladder leak tips, management and incredible bladder leakage protection!

Please rate and leave a review on the Apple Podcast app so more people can find it! 

#debunkingdesire aims to educate women, their partners, health care providers, and the media about low sexual #desire in #women.

Who better to talk to about this than Dr. Lori Brotto, not just because she has THE best name but because she has a brilliant mind and has worked in this area for years. In this episode, Dr. Brotto discusses sexual desire, this #debunkingdesire campaign as well as some of her work in #sexual #pain, such as provoked vestibulodynia (#PVD). 

Dr. Lori Brotto is a Professor in the UBC Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and a Registered Psychologist. She is the Executive Director of the Women's Health Research Institute at BC Women’s Hospital. Dr. Brotto holds a Canada Research Chair in Women's Sexual Health. She is the director of the UBC Sexual Health Laboratory where research primarily focuses on advancing the science of psychological and mindfulness-based interventions for women’s sexual health. Dr. Brotto is an Associate Editor for the Archives of Sexual Behavior, has over 150 peer-reviewed publications, is passionate about knowledge translation, and as such, is frequently featured in the media on sexual health topics. Her book, Better Sex Through Mindfulness: How Women Can Cultivate Desire (Greystone Publishing) is a knowledge translation of her research over the past 15 years demonstrating the benefits of mindfulness for women’s sexual concerns and genital pain.

*Click on links above and below for more information!

Australian Booktopia for Better Sex Through Mindfunless

I love to highlight the people in the research trenches and asked Tom Astill to chat with me about the research he has been working on with Jane Chalmers and Rocco Caveleri regarding a new questionnaire directed at assessing the impact pelvic pain has on men, called The Male Pelvic Pain Impact Questionnaire (links below). The focus of this episode was this assessment questionnaire, but as usual, I took him off course and ventured into in a few other places. I hope you enjoy!

A bit more about Tom:

Originally born in England, Tom moved to Australia 15 years ago. Initially he studied audio engineering and worked in various fields of technical support and training before meeting his wife and embarking on a physiotherapy degree.

He is a newly graduated physiotherapist. As part of his undergrad he conducted an honours project where they developed a questionnaire to assess the impact of chronic pelvic pain in men. This project has sparked a passion for research, chronic pain, and men’s health. He is currently deciding on PhD topics in those areas and working on expanding his clinical skills to support his future research. He enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with his twin daughters Kate and Lily.

Links:

mPPIQ preprint on Research Gate

Abstract presentation through the Australian Pain Society

Tayla Lamerton, a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland, joins the podcast to discuss her research exploring urinary incontinence in young to middle age women who are overweight and obese, as well as some other cool studies she has up her sleeve.

I love highlighting the work of up and coming researchers and Tayla Lamerton is a name you should keep in mind. She is in her last year as a PHD Candidate at the University of Queensland, Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences. Prior to commencing her PhD, she graduated with a Masters in Psychology from the University of Otago, NZ. She also trained as a group fitness instructor in 2013 and is now a Level 1 CrossFit trainer. Her research interests focus on understanding female pelvic floor health in young women. Specifically, how weight and physical activity are related to urinary incontinence in this demographic, and exploring methods to improve management and return or adhere to regular physical activity.

Papers:

Lamerton, T. J., Torquati, L., & Brown, W. J. (2018). Overweight and obesity as major, modifiable risk factors for urinary incontinence in young to mid-aged women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 19(12), 1735–1745. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12756

Haakstad, L. A. H., Gjestvang, C., Lamerton, T., & Bø, K. (2020). Urinary incontinence in a fitness club setting-is it a workout problem? International Urogynecology Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-020-04253-0

Gráinne Donnelly is back and we completely nerd out in this episode on all things transperineal ultrasound in assessing and treating pelvic floor dysfunction in women. From 2D to 4D, scope of practice and all the fun measures you can do. Enjoy our excitement that we just cannot contain. #nerds

If you missed her last episode, head back to April 2019 to listen to her, Tom Goom and Emma Brockwell discuss their guidelines on return to running in postnatal women.

Guidelines for reprocessing ultrasound transducers 2017

Bio from her website - Absolute Physio:

Gráinne is an Advanced Physiotherapist in pelvic health. She graduated from the University of Ulster in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physiotherapy. She specialised in Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological physiotherapy in 2010 undertaking extensive post-graduate training and completing the Postgraduate Certificate in Continence Practice at the University of Bradford in 2018. Gráinne is currently completing a Masters in Advancing Healthcare at the University of Ulster and is aiming to complete this in 2020.

Dr. Holly Herman has been a physical therapist (physiotherapist) for more than 45 years and it was with absolute delight to talk to her about her passion in treating musculoskeletal and pelvic health concerns, including surgical procedures and subsequent rehabilitation, in the transgender non binary non conforming community.

In addition to maintaining a full time private practice in Cambridge, MA, she lectures and presents courses world-wide on Pelvic Floor, Women and Men’s Health, Pregnancy and Postpartum, Orthopedics, Geriatrics and Sexual Medicine.

Holly is 1 of 2 PT’s in the world certified as a Sexuality Counselor by the American Association for Sexual Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), and one of 4 PT’s in the world certified as a Women’s Health Sexuality Fellow by the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH).

Holly co-founded the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute in 2005. Though she is no longer associated with the institute, Holly brings her own courses to the US, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Chile, Canada, Portugal, Brazil, UAE Saudi Arabia and Australia through HWHMeducation.

For her full bio, check out her website HERE.

This episode dives into the latest research that is currently underway in Canada to help women suffering with postnatal/postpartum depression. Madison Lackie has recently completed her MSc in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences at the University of British Columbia (through the Faculty of Medicine, Department of OB/GYN) after receiving her BScH from Queen’s University in Life Sciences.

Dr. Merv Travers is a Senior Research Scholar working in the area of low back pain, tendon pain and exercise rehabilitation at the School of Physiotherapy, The University of Notre Dame Australia.

In today's episode, Merv discusses what exactly strength training is, why it’s important for all of our bodies and how physiotherapists can get their patients started and progressing. And of course my son, Rylan, had to compete with his sister in podcast recording (and special blooper takes at the end). Check out the reference list below Merv kindly put together for us!

More about Merv...he completed his PhD at Curtin University where he also maintains an Adjunct Research Fellow role. His teaching areas include anatomy and exercise rehabilitation. He has a Masters of Manipulative Therapy and is a qualified strength & conditioning coach (Australian Strength and Conditioning Association – Level 2).

Merv’s clinical background includes working in professional rugby union and he provides clinical consultation for complex musculoskeletal conditions at Star Physio, WA.

Merv guest lectures nationally and internationally on the topics of strength and conditioning for physiotherapists and tendinopathy rehabilitation, as well as runs an international strength conditioning course for physiotherapists.

Optimise Rehab - courses for Strength and Conditioning courses for physios

Some key references pertaining to some of this things we spoke about:

Public Health and strength training:

Steele, J., Fisher, J., Skivington, M., Dunn, C., Arnold, J., Tew, G., . . . Winett, R. (2017). A higher effort-based paradigm in physical activity and exercise for public health: making the case for a greater emphasis on resistance training. BMC Public Health, 17(1), 300.

Dankel, S. J., Loenneke, J. P., & Loprinzi, P. D. (2016). Determining the Importance of Meeting Muscle-Strengthening Activity Guidelines: Is the Behavior or the Outcome of the Behavior (Strength) a More Important Determinant of All-Cause Mortality? Mayo Clin Proc, 91(2), 166-174.

Strain, T., Fitzsimons, C., Kelly, P., & Mutrie, N. (2016). The forgotten guidelines: cross-sectional analysis of participation in muscle strengthening and balance & co-ordination activities by adults and older adults in Scotland. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1108.

Physio knowledge of guidelines:

Lowe, A., Littlewood, C., McLean, S., & Kilner, K. (2017). Physiotherapy and physical activity: a cross-sectional survey exploring physical activity promotion, knowledge of physical activity guidelines and the physical activity habits of UK physiotherapists. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 3(1)

Lifting with a neutral spine:

Saraceni, N., Kent, P., Ng, L., Campbell, A., Straker, L., & O'Sullivan, P. (2019). To Flex or Not to Flex? Is There a Relationship Between Lumbar Spine Flexion During Lifting and Low Back Pain? A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 1-50

Achilles tendon pain and loading:

Murphy, M., Travers, M., Gibson, W., Chivers, P., Debenham, J., Docking, S., & Rio, E. (2018). Rate of Improvement of Pain and Function in Mid-Portion Achilles Tendinopathy with Loading Protocols: A Systematic Review and Longitudinal Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine.

Placebo and Exercise:

Crum, A. J., & Langer, E. J. (2007). Mind-set matters: exercise and the placebo effect. Psychol Sci, 18(2), 165-171.

Minimum strength dosage:

Androulakis-Korakakis, P., Fisher, J. P., & Steele, J. (2019). The Minimum Effective Training Dose Required to Increase 1RM Strength in Resistance-Trained Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine.

Jilly Bond is back to blow our minds and wrap up 2019! This time Jilly shares her brilliant mind on #interstitialcystitis #bladderpainsyndrome (IC/BPS) - what is it, how the nervous system is involved, how this affects pelvic floor muscles and what treatment helps and why...and we can't stress enough why trigger points are not involved (also why they are not actually a thing!).

If you haven't checked out her vlogs, blogs and info...check it out HERE and subscribe to her mailing list!

Thanks for listening and have a happy holiday season! Catch you in 2020 - don't miss first episode with Dr Merv Travers talking all about the basics of Strength Training!

Patron Support link for The Pelvic Health Podcast

Australian #physiotherapist, Claire Osterstock, joins the podcast to talk all about one of my favourite #vaginal #lubricants, in which she created, called Olive & Bee. Claire shares her insights about what it takes to turn an idea into a product and get it on the market, as well as what it took for her to become successful in the process. This episode has some very cool science-y and fun facts about #lube that I never knew.