Ms Sarah Christ1
1Helix Physiotherapy: Women's Health, Brisbane, Australia
Biography:
Sarah Christ is a Women’s Health Physiotherapist with 25 years of clinical experience and a strong focus on pelvic health. Based in private practice in Brisbane, she specialises in pelvic floor dysfunction across the lifespan—from adolescence to menopause.
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland and is a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and Women's Health Special Interest Group. Sarah is involved in teaching at the University of Queensland and has practiced internationally in the UK, New York, Singapore and Australia.
Sarah is passionate about improving patient outcomes through multidisciplinary holistic care, collaboration and education.
Aims:
To describe a multidisciplinary model of care, highlighting the role of women’s health physiotherapy in managing pelvic floor, urogenital, and musculoskeletal symptoms of menopause.
Methods:
A physiotherapy-integrated model was implemented for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women within a multidisciplinary setting. Assessment included pelvic floor function, bladder and bowel health, sexual function, and musculoskeletal factors. Interventions comprised pelvic floor muscle training, bladder and bowel retraining, intra-abdominal pressure management, progressive resistance exercise, and education on the impact of estrogen deficiency on connective tissue and function. Care was individualised and delivered alongside medical management, including menopausal hormone therapy where appropriate, with coordinated referral pathways.
Results:
The model improved identification of under-reported pelvic floor dysfunction, urogenital symptoms, and exercise limitations often missed in routine care. Physiotherapy input was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in urinary incontinence, prolapse symptoms, sexual discomfort, and physical activity participation. Patients demonstrated greater understanding, confidence in self-management, and engagement in exercise. Clinicians reported more targeted referrals and improved care coordination.
Conclusions:
Pelvic floor and musculoskeletal changes in menopause are common and often overlooked. Integrating women’s health physiotherapy within menopause care enables targeted conservative intervention, leading to meaningful improvements in function, symptom bother, participation in activity, and overall quality of life.