Episode Details

Hello & Welcome! Today’s conversation is with Lydia Durkin George, all about pelvic health in women’s rugby

In our chat, we discussed Lydia’s journey from being an elite kickboxer to becoming a physiotherapist, driven by a desire to support female athletes.

She highlights her research on pelvic floor dysfunction in elite women's rugby players and her collaboration with advocates for female athletes.

We discussed the prevalence of pelvic floor issues among elite women's rugby players, noting a high incidence of urinary and anorectal symptoms despite a lack of childbirth history.

We also highlighted the need for better awareness and education about pelvic health, as only 30% of the athletes knew what a pelvic health physiotherapist was and only 10% engaged in pelvic health exercises.

We’re both passionate about the importance of normalising conversations about pelvic health and avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach to pelvic floor muscle training, as overactivity could exacerbate issues, and we both agreed that integrating pelvic health discussions into regular athletic training and education could help address these issues more effectively!

We also talked about:

• the specific pelvic health demands of rugby

• better pelvic health screening

• how lower limb injuries can affect pelvic health

• the need for comprehensive pelvic health education and training

And much more! You can find Lydia on Instagram at @form.at.physio (and of course I’m there too @michellelyons_muliebrity)

Want to learn more about supporting female athletes at every age and stage? For young female athletes, check out The Menstrual Detective (comes with free access to Pelvic Health for Young Female Athletes), or for return to physical activity, I’ve got Perinatal Pelvic Rehab, and for masters athletes, Flourish! The Menopause Toolbox will help you help women live well. All the course info is at CelebrateMuliebrity.com

Until next time, Onwards & Upwards! Mx #celebratemuliebrity