Many women are surprised to learn that osteoporosis and fractures can run in families. A family history of low bone density or fractures is one of the strongest predictors of future fracture risk (Rizzoli et al., 2014).
Many women think bone health only becomes important after menopause. In reality, the foundations for strong bones are laid much earlier. What you do in your 30s and 40s plays a major role in how strong your bones are later in life.
Many women experience pelvic floor symptoms but do not seek help. These symptoms are often dismissed as “normal,” especially after childbirth or with aging. While these issues are common, they are not normal and should not be ignored.
Pelvic floor health is often discussed only during pregnancy or after childbirth. While pregnancy can increase the risk of pelvic floor problems, it is not the only time pelvic health matters.
Women’s health is often talked about in short stages. Pregnancy. Menopause. Aging. But the body does not work in isolated chapters. What happens in your 20s, 30s, and 40s directly affects how your body copes later in life.
Many women start the year with big health goals. More exercise. More intensity. More discipline. While motivation can be helpful, long-term health is built through consistent habits, not short bursts of extreme effort.
Soccer places high physical demands on children, particularly during periods of rapid growth. Sprinting, cutting and kicking increase stress on muscles, tendons and growth plates. Common injuries include heel pain, knee pain and muscle strains.
Swimming is often considered low risk, but the repetitive nature of training places significant stress on developing bodies. Shoulder pain is the most common issue in young swimmers, often developing without a clear injury event.
Achilles tendon rupture is a significant injury that affects walking, work and sport. Management may involve surgical or non-surgical treatment, and outcomes depend heavily on rehabilitation rather than treatment choice alone.
Shoulder reconstruction is commonly performed in athletes involved in overhead or contact sports, including swimming, throwing sports and football codes. While surgery restores stability or structure, rehabilitation is essential for returning to performance
Shoulder replacement surgery is primarily performed to reduce pain and improve function, particularly for daily tasks such as reaching, dressing and lifting. Rehabilitation focuses on restoring safe movement and strength while protecting surgical structures.
Meniscus repair aims to preserve joint health and reduce the long-term risk of arthritis, but it requires a more cautious rehabilitation approach than meniscus removal. Healing timelines depend on the type and location of the repair, and early decisions can influence long-term success.
Rehabilitation following ACL reconstruction is often viewed as a knee-focused process, but successful outcomes depend on the entire movement system. Strength, balance, coordination and psychological readiness all influence recovery and reinjury risk.
Surgery is only one part of recovery. Rehabilitation is the process that restores movement, strength and confidence, and it has a major influence on long-term outcomes
Children are not simply small adults, and this is especially important when considering sports injuries. Their bones, muscles, tendons and nervous systems mature at different rates, which changes both how injuries occur and how they should be managed.
For many years, women were advised to be cautious with heavy lifting, particularly as they aged or entered menopause. The Australian LIFTMOR (Lifting Intervention For Training Muscle and Osteoporosis Rehabilitation) trial, published in 2015, challenged this long-held belief — and fundamentally changed how we understand exercise for bone health in women.
Bone health is often framed as a concern for later life, but the foundations for strong, resilient bones are laid much earlier. For women, the decades from our 30s onward represent a critical window to protect bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures later in life — particularly for those with a family history of osteoporosis or fragility fractures.
In the previous article we covered what GSM is. Now let’s look at how to manage it — with a spotlight on the role of pelvic health physiotherapy and how it fits alongside medical interventions.
Menopause brings about many changes — but one of the most under-recognised is the condition known as Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM).
Menopause is more than hot flushes. As estrogen levels fall, many women notice new aches and pains, sore tendons, stiff shoulders, and a drop in muscle and bone strength
As a women’s health physiotherapist, one of the most important messages I can share is this: your muscle mass is your long-term health investment. From your 30s onward, and particularly during the menopause transition, preserving and building muscle becomes critical—not just for strength, but for your overall wellbeing.
We often think of muscle in terms of strength and movement—but it plays so many more behind-the-scenes roles, especially as we transition through menopause. As a physiotherapist, I’ve seen firsthand how understanding these hidden benefits of muscle can completely transform how women approach their health.
Strong Bones, Strong Body: Why Exercise Is Essential for Bone Health
Bone health often goes unnoticed—until there’s a problem. As we age, our bones naturally lose density, making them more fragile and increasing the risk of fractures
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects millions of women worldwide, often impacting daily comfort, bladder or bowel control, and quality of life
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects up to 50% of women who have given birth vaginally, though not all experience symptoms.
Why gym workouts can hurt your shoulder — and how to fix it
Why leg pain isn’t always from your leg — and how to treat it
Why your knees make noise — and when to worry about it
Why your kneecap hurts — and what to do about it
What’s causing your wrist pain — and how to treat it properly
Why your hamstring keeps pulling — and how to stop it happening again
Why your child’s knee hurts — and what you can do to help
When your sore neck is the real cause of your pounding head
How a knee injury can change everything — and how to recover strong
Why that first step in the morning hurts — and what you can do about it
Why training your middle helps protect your back
Why your shins hurt after running — and how to stop it
Why your shoulder becomes stiff and sore — and what helps it thaw
It’s the world’s number one cause of disability — but there’s hope
Why your elbow hurts — even if you’ve never picked up a racquet
Why runners often feel it in the knees — and how to stay pain-free
Why screens are hurting your neck — and what to do instead
Why one wrong step can lead to weeks of pain — and what you can do about it
Bladder urgency and overactive bladder (OAB) are common conditions that significantly impact quality of life. Bladder urgency refers to a sudden and overwhelming need to urinate, which may or may not lead to incontinence.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) is a condition where one or more of the pelvic organs—such as the bladder, uterus, or rectum—descend into or beyond the vaginal canal due to weakening of the pelvic floor muscles and connective tissues.
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the involuntary leakage of urine during activities that increase intra-abdominal pressure, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or physical exercise
Urinary incontinence (UI) is the involuntary leakage of urine, a condition that affects millions of women worldwide and significantly impacts quality of life
Perimenopause, the transitional phase leading to menopause, is characterized by significant hormonal changes, particularly a decline in oestrogen levels. These hormonal shifts have widespread effects on various body systems, including skeletal muscle
