Vitality Therapy And Performance

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Perimenopause And Menopause

Perimenopause and menopause present a whole new set of challenges in someone’s life. Hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and brain fog are tough enough, but did you know hormonal changes can also have an effect on your pelvic floor health? At Vitality we can work with you to help prevent symptoms or address symptoms already present and exacerbated by hormonal changes such as incontinence, pain, dryness, and weakness.

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Can We Help?

What causes pelvic floor dysfunction with menopause

Hormonal changes can contribute to weakness in the pelvic floor, potentially causing or contributing to bladder/bowel leakage, prolapse, and pain with intercourse.

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How does PT help?

At Vitality Pelvic Health you’ll work 1:1 with your physical therapist to develop a plan of care to restore strength and extensibility to the pelvic floor. Your treatment plan may include exercises for strengthening, manual therapy, postural strengthening, full body exercise, and referral for pessary or hormone therapy if appropriate.

How long will it take?

A typical plan of care depends on symptoms, but is typically 10-12 weeks long.

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What the research shows

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Strengthening exercises improve symptoms of menopause such as decreased bone density, increased heart rate, blood pressure, and hot flashes

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Pelvic floor muscle training is more effective at treating incontinence in postmenopausal women than hormone therapy alone – it’s never too late to start, and if hormones are not appropriate, therapy can still be very helpful!

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Pelvic floor strength is correlated with sexual satisfaction, orgasm, and sexual arousal in perimenopausal women.

Common complaints

“My sleep quality and energy levels have tanked”
“Sex doesn’t feel the same anymore”
“I feel like I have no control down there anymore”
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Frequently Asked Questions

The first symptoms of perimenopause are often related to changes in progesterone – this can be missed periods, sleep changes, and mood swings.
From there, estrogen levels are typically the next to change, leading to vaginal dryness, decreased tissue extensibility, and more sleep/mood disturbance.
Lastly, a change in testosterone occurs in the postmenopausal phase. This hormone impacts sleep, bone density, sexual desire and pleasure, muscle mass, and energy.

Menopause is defined as cessation of your menstrual cycle for 12 months.

The average age of onset is 51. Some women may experience menopause in their 40s, however.

Perimenopause begins 2-10 years before menopause.

This also varies, but the average length is around 4 years.

There are many treatment options available from medication to lifestyle changes. Meeting with your medical team to understand the whole picture will help you make informed decisions about what interventions are appropriate for your unique situation. Since your physical health and performance is a huge part of menopause, we highly recommend checking in with PT!

Menopause and Perimenopause Quizzes
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Can pelvic floor physical therapy help your situation? Take this quick quiz!

Get To Know Our Pelvic Health Team...

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Tristen Swengle

PT, DPT, Director of Pelvic Health
Learn More
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Nikki Randolph

PT, DPT, Pelvic Health Specialist
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Kally Owen

PT, DPT
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Deena Winham, PT

Deena Winham

PT, DPT, PCES
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Testimonials

What Clients Are Saying

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Stacy B

I have been coming to Vitality Pelvic Health for several weeks. I was looking for options to help strengthen my pelvic floor following an injury during childbirth and just aging in general. I am 44 years old, and my youngest child is 13, but Tristan explained that we are always in that postpartum phase. Tristan is extremely knowledgeable and so incredibly thorough! I’ve never met anyone who knows so much about pelvic dysfunction and ways to combat it. She’s created a strengthening program for me that I can continue to use long after my sessions are completed. I highly recommend her to any woman seeking help in this area. You will not regret it!

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Illustration of a woman with long, flowing brown hair, depicted in a minimalist style with soft earth tones. She is wearing a sleeveless top and appears to be in a thoughtful pose, reflecting on
Shannon F

Dr. Nikki is truly amazing. I came to her a year and half after having my baby because I felt like something was off and that I was still not fully recovered. She gave me a whole toolbox of movements and practices to get myself back together and feel confident that my body could safely pick up my growing daughter. She figured out exactly what I needed to do, and gave me a realistic plan all while being so kind and patient. I could not recommend her more to any new moms or moms to be (or really anyone struggling with functional movement).

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Ready To Get Started?

Whether you need more information or are ready to get started on your path to recovery, our team is here to help. All we ask is you simply reach out by filling out a quick form. No commitment to doing this, but we just might be the answer you have been looking for. You owe it to yourself to at least find out more.

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A smiling woman with curly hair wearing a black top, specializing in physical therapy and pelvic health, standing against a plain white background.

Tristen Swengle

PT, DPT, DIRECTOR OF PELVIC HEALTH

Tristen, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, is passionate about treating active women and men who are dealing with various types of pelvic floor dysfunction so that they are able to return to their preferred exercise routine and lifestyle. She received her doctorate from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Fayetteville, AR. Since graduating, Tristen has continued to pursue further education through the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute.

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Nikki Randolph

PT, DPT, PELVIC HEALTH SPECIALIST

Nikki is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa in 2015. She then received her doctorate from Washington University in St Louis in 2022. During her time there she became passionate about pelvic floor rehabilitation, specifically in both the active population and post-oncologic. Nikki is continuing to pursue her education through Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. The opportunity to help patients achieve their goals, live free from pelvic pain, and feel empowered with the tools and knowledge to live a healthy life is incredibly meaningful to her.

A smiling young woman with blonde hair, wearing a black t-shirt with "physical therapy" text, stands against a light gray background.

Kally Owen

PT, DPT, Pelvic Health
Kally holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences and a minor in Microbiology from Oklahoma State University graduating in 2019 and from there went on to earn her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2022. Kally enjoys treating all orthopedic conditions with a special interest in pelvic floor physical therapy and she is Dry Needling certified. She enjoys working with patients who desire to take an active role in their recovery and loves learning unique and holistic ways to provide the best to the clients she treats. Kally is continuing to pursue her education through Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute.
Deena Winham, PT

Deena Winham

PT, DPT, PCES

Deena is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist. She is passionate about treating women through their pregnancy to maintain a higher level of function and exercise capability throughout their pregnancy and postpartum to help mothers recover quicker from pregnancy without any pelvic floor dysfunction. Deena also enjoys treating pelvic floor dysfunction in the pediatric population as well. Since graduating in 2019 with her doctorate from South College in Knoxville, Tennessee, Deena has continued to pursue further education through Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute.