By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Pasadena I have worked in pelvic health since 2001, long enough to witness how certain conversations slowly—and sometimes painfully—enter mainstream medicine. I remember when leaders in our field began formally discussing menopause and introduced the term genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) around 2014. What I do not remember is […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Pasadena Perimenopause is a time of transition that affects nearly every system in the body—and the pelvic floor is no exception. While hot flashes and sleep disruption often dominate the conversation, many women experience pelvic floor symptoms that are just as disruptive, yet far less discussed. Inspired by the documentary […]
BALANCE: A Perimenopause Journey — Why This Documentary Matters for Women’s Pelvic Health By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Pasadena A new four-part documentary series, BALANCE: A Perimenopause Journey, is bringing long-overdue attention to one of the most misunderstood and under-recognized phases of women’s health: perimenopause. Premiering in early 2026, this powerful series explores the years […]
Table of Contents . What is Female Pelvic Pain? . How Does Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Cause Female Pelvic Pain? . What are the Symptoms of Female Pelvic Pain? . What are the Causes of Female Pelvic Pain? . What is the Treatment for Female Pelvic Pain? . What Conditions are Commonly Linked to Pelvic Pain? […]
It’s time for the FDA to remove the outdated and misleading boxed warning label on local vaginal estrogen. 75 million women in menopause are being held back by outdated and misleading FDA warnings on local vaginal estrogen—a proven, safe, and effective treatment for GSM symptoms like tissue thinning, painful sex, and recurrent UTIs. Despite overwhelming […]
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack The pelvic floor plays a significant role in several crucial functions, including bowel health, sexual function, and balance. However, certain common habits and misconceptions can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction. Did you know we were featured in an Insider magazine article? Let’s review these common mistakes and hopefully […]
Join Let’s Talk Menopause on Friday, May 3rd, 2024 for our second annual half-day, IN-PERSON menoposium – this year in Chicago! Learn from leading experts how perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause can impact your body, mood, sleep, sexual/urinary health, and long-term health. Discover strategies for navigating these changes, including menopause hormone therapy. This Menoposium will […]
By PHRC Admin Let us help you untangle something that should be so simple yet is not and continues to be a problem for many; accessibility to healthcare that thousands across the nation need and could benefit from. There exists a notable disparity in the healthcare sector, often overlooked. It’s the inequality faced by […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Perimenopause and menopause are finally getting more attention & we’re grateful this is finally happening because people in these phases of life are struggling with TREATABLE symptoms. People think of perimenopause as a time marked by irregular periods but much more than that is happening. […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Our muscles are hormonally sensitive structures and weaken over time as we experience hormonal decline. In addition, the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction rises and the combination of these two scenarios can cause people a fair amount of grief. A recent study showed 95.3% of people […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles As people age, circulating hormones decline and pelvic floor dysfunction rises. The combination of these changes can cause unnecessary suffering and distress. The unfortunate news is that most people do not realize their symptoms may be related to hormonal deficiencies & musculoskeletal issues. However, the […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT , Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Most people have not heard of term “Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause” (GSM). One key reason is that the term did not exist until 2014, when leadership societies recognized that menopausal women were suffering from many more symptoms than just ‘vaginal atrophy’ and vaginal dryness. […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, , Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles It is common knowledge amongst medical professionals and researchers that it takes an average of 17 years for research evidence to reach clinical practice. In 2002 an event occurred that changed healthcare overnight for menopausal women, affecting over 50 million people at the time. […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Los Angeles Did you know that the term Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) was introduced as recently as 2014? What!? Women have been going through menopause as long as we have been on the planet. Why are we talking about it? Because too many women are currently suffering with treatable […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC West Los Angeles Perimenopause begins earlier than you think! Most people in their 20’s and 30’s may not think they need to know about perimenopause & that perimenopause information doesn’t apply to them. This is not true! Here are just a few of the many things you need […]
“It’s NOT all downhill from here! When you learn how to find balance in your life and in your hormones, it’s really possible to feel vital through perimenopause, menopause and beyond.” DR. AMY DAY, FOUNDER, THE WOMEN’S VITALITY CENTER IN BERKELEY, CA Too many women are silently struggling through bothersome symptoms of perimenopause and menopause […]
By: Rachel Daof, DPT Los Angeles PHRC members, Stephanie Prendergast, Courtney Edgecomb, and I, Rachel Daof, went to a dinner to discuss Intrarosa with guest speaker Dr. Irwin Goldstein. One of the major points of the night was this: menopause is a chronic progressive, degenerative condition, and it does not improve without treatment. This hit […]
By admin You hit your 40s or 50s and all of the sudden things start spiraling: Your period is out of whack, your undergarments are damp with urine after a one mile walk with your dog, and you can no longer wear your favorite jeans because they’re irritating to your lady parts. As if that […]
