5 Women’s Health Conditions You Didn’t Know Your EP Could Help With!

PCOS

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the most common endocrine (hormonal) condition among women in Australia! Symptoms are caused by an imbalance of hormones (namely insulin, estrogen, and androgens) in the body. 

PCOS can cause a variety of symptoms such as

  • Insulin resistance

  • Irregular or missed periods, fertility difficulty

  • Difficulty maintaining or losing weight

  • Mental health concerns (anxiety, depression,mood disturbance)

  • Increased risk of cardiovascular disease

Luckily, lifestyle interventions (changes to nutrition and exercise) are first line treatment for PCOS. As well as looking at your lifestyle from a holistic point of view, your EP can help to provide an exercise routine that can help with;

  • Increasing the effectiveness of insulin in the body and reducing blood glucose

  • Managing mental health and emotional well being (40% of women with PCOS struggle with depression/anxiety!)

  • Increasing energy levels and reducing inflammation

  • Weight managements

  • Reducing cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk.

  • Finding something you enjoy and keep you on track!


Consistency is key in PCOS management and your EP is there to help and to keep you accountable and on track every step of the way!


Endometriosis

Endometriosis affects up to 1 in 10 women in Australia. However with a delay in diagnosis of 5 years or more plus a large incidence of underreporting this is likely to be much higher!

Endometriosis occurs when endometrial cells grow outside of the uterus where they would normally be found. This tissue behaves as it would inside the uterus and can cause inflammation, pain, digestive difficulty, and bleeding! 

 

Common side effects of Endo are

  • Pain that flares up or comes in cycles - making sticking to a traditional periodised training program hard

  • Hypertonic (over active) pelvic floor

  • Muscle tightness/ stiffness through the front of the body due to guarding and pain response behaviours.

  • Fatigue

As a part of a multidisciplinary team, your EP can help you to manage your Endo and its symptoms. Here's how exercise can help:

  • Relaxing hypertonic muscle groups (pelvic floor, hip flexors, abdominals, glutes)

  • Exercise for pain management - increasing mobility and reducing cramping

  • Managing fatigue and energy levels

  • Assisting in managing mental health and mood

Your EP is there to assist with putting together a plan that allows you to work with your endo cycle rather than against it. They can also help you find a level and style of exercise that does not increase pain or flare ups and help you identify things to avoid. 

Hypothalamic Amenorrhea

An often unknown or overlooked condition, hypothalamic amenhorhea or HA occurs when low energy availability in the body triggers the loss of a regular period.

This is usually caused by one or more of the following

  • Inadequate nutrition or food consumption to fuel energy demands

  • Excessive exercise

  • Psychological stress

HA can cause a number of flow on effects that can be quite harmful if left untreated. These include;

  • Loss of bone mineral density and increase in osteoporosis risk

  • Hormone imbalance and dysfunction

  • Anovulatory infertility

  • Poor mental health and mood disturbance

  • Cardiovascular concerns

Along with a multidisciplinary team ( such as dietician, psychologist, and GP) you EP can help you to:

  • Assess your level of energy expenditure

  • Prescribe a suitable volume of exercise and monitor intensity, and type of exercise to assist in HA recovery

  • Guide you back to your normal training load once your menstrual cycle has recovered.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer amongst women in Australia affecting up to 1 in 7 women.  Exercise is hugely important during cancer treatment as it can help to manage many treatment related side effects such as;

  • Fatigue,

  • Cardiovascular concerns

  • Mood and mental health

  • Poor sleep, and reduced energy levels.

Keeping up with exercise during and post treatment can also:

  • Greatly improve quality of life

  • Reduce your risk of cancer recurrence.

  • Help with regaining range of motion through chest and shoulder and with building your strength back up following surgical treatment

It is so effective that regular exercise is now considered an essential inclusion in standard care from breast cancer! Your EP can help to guide you on a safe but effective way to exercise and can monitor your intensity and frequency in line with your treatment and how you are feeling. They are there to support you along the way! They can also assist in facilitating and progressing your rehab and progression back towards normal post surgery and into remission. 

Osteoporosis 

Osteoporosis and its precursor osteopenia affects 1in 4 women over the age of 75!

Osteoporosis or osteopenia refers to low bone mineral density. This occurs when the body is breaking down bone tissue (a normal process!) faster than it can replace it. This is particularly common as women age with changes starting in the perimenopausal phase, or even earlier in  those with a  history or eating disorder or menstrual irregularity.

Women with osteoporosis are at a higher risk of fracture should you fall or hurt yourself!

Luckily exercise can help to preserve bone density and even improve it!

Your EP can help to provide advice and education on the best exercise for 

Tara JenkinsRebound Health - Brookvale (Pittwater Road)exercise physiology