Menopause & Performance: What Every Active Woman Should Know — with INGRID HARM-ERNANDES, PT

Send us Fan MailMenopause care is changing — but not fast enough.In this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I sit down with Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT — a physical therapist with more than 40 years of experience in women’s health, known as “The Pelvic Detective” on YouTube and author of The Musculoskeletal Mystery: How to Solve Your Pelvic Floor Symptoms. Ingrid has spent decades pushing for earlier access to pelvic health care, better clinical reasoning, and more respect for the complexity of women’s bodies across the lifespan.This conversation isn’t about trendy soundbites. It’s about what’s actually shifting in menopause and perimenopause care — and what still needs to change.We talk honestly about why individualized pelvic floor treatment matters more than ever, how exercise plays a critical role in perimenopause and menopause, and why we need to stop oversimplifying women’s health into one-size-fits-all solutions. Ingrid shares perspective from four decades in practice — what’s improved, what hasn’t, and what we can learn from previous generations of women who were told their symptoms were “just part of aging.”We also unpack the role of social media in pelvic health education — the good, the bad, and the nuance — and how emerging research in women’s health is shaping more comprehensive, lifespan-based care.If you care about pelvic floor dysfunction, menopause symptoms, individualized rehab, strength training in midlife, or long-term musculoskeletal health for active women — this conversation is for you.We discuss:Advocacy for better women’s health care and earlier access to pelvic PTThe evolution of menopause and perimenopause treatmentWhy individualized pelvic floor care is essentialExercise, strength, and musculoskeletal health in midlifeCoordinating the pelvic floor with the whole systemEmerging research shaping women’s healthWhat we can learn from previous generationsSupporting women across the full lifespanMenopause isn’t an endpoint. It’s a transition. And women deserve care that reflects that.If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who needs better answers.Time Stamps1:00 Introduction7:28 the rise in awareness around menopause and perimenopause12:25 the role of PTs in menopause care16:30 exercise in perimenopause 21:20 how advice has changed28:40 bridging the gap between postpartum and perimenopause32:10 including strength training and plyometrics39:25 opportunities for increasing awareness46:25 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH INGRID:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harmernandes/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingrid-harm-ernandes-5057773b/The Active Mom Podcast — a real mom's guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond, for active moms and the professionals who help them get there.Quick-hit conversations with moms, providers, and researchers... because you don't have a lot of free time (you're probably listening at 1.5x right now).Follow so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it's how the next mom searching for these answers actually finds them. Share it with the friend who needs it.Questions or topic requests? DM me 💌