From 1 episode
Is it too late to strengthen my pelvic floor after menopause?
Answered by Nikkiey Stott · Updated
The short answer
No. On Ep. 142 of The WarriorBabe Show, pelvic health expert Kim Vopni says it's never too late. She describes a 92-year-old woman in her community who never had pelvic floor education and still made changes to her incontinence and prolapse. Change is possible at any age, though starting before symptoms is ideal.
Hear it answered
Tap play to start right where it's answered. It keeps playing while you browse.
Kim Vopni on why it's never too late, and her 92-year-old client's progress
Plays from 22:39 · Ep. 142: Pelvic Floor Exercises for Women Over 40 and Menopause
Kim explains how falling estrogen worsens pelvic floor symptoms in menopause
Plays from 27:41 · Ep. 142: Pelvic Floor Exercises for Women Over 40 and Menopause
Why Kegels often fail and how to train the pelvic floor for real movement
Plays from 21:33 · Ep. 142: Pelvic Floor Exercises for Women Over 40 and Menopause
The full answer
If your pelvic floor has felt worse since menopause, there's a reason, and it isn't that you've failed. Kim Vopni, known as the Vagina Coach, explains that the tissues around the pelvis, vulva, vagina and bladder have estrogen receptors. When estrogen drops steeply at menopause, symptoms you could once excuse away, like a small leak on a trampoline, can show up for the first time or get much stronger. She lists urgency, frequency, irritation, painful sex and a higher risk of UTIs. Kim says over 80% of women will experience genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), the umbrella term for these signs, and that they do not get better with time on their own. That's the show's view of what's happening; for symptoms like these, work with your doctor.
The encouraging part: Kim is clear that change is always possible. Her 92-year-old community member had never been taught anything about her pelvic floor and still made progress with incontinence and prolapse. Her point is that stepping in earlier lowers your risk, but later is not too late.
How you train matters. Kim's view on Kegels:
- Many women do them incorrectly, see no results and give up, so first learn to do them correctly, then do them consistently.
- Squeezing at a red light or while brushing your teeth may help a little, but it won't carry over to jumping or explosive movement.
- The goal is to retrain the pelvic floor's reaction time and build its resilience and capacity to respond to dynamic movement, not just hold a static squeeze.
Kim compares pelvic floor health to going to the dentist: something to pay attention to every year, not only when a problem shows up.
From WarriorBabe's coaches (how we write our answers). For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.
Part of
Women's Health & Aging →Women also ask
More questions →Women's Health & Aging
Do Kegels actually work?
Yes. On Ep. 142, pelvic health expert Kim Vopni says research clearly shows Kegels are an effective way to overcome pelvic floor dysfunction like prolapse and incontinence. The catch: most women do them incorrectly, decide they don't work and quit. Done correctly, consistently, and paired with resistance training, they do their job.
Read the answer →
Women's Health & Aging
Does strength training help bone density in menopause?
Yes. Nikkiey explains that strength training puts stress on your bones, which triggers them to rebuild stronger and denser, raising bone mineral density and lowering osteoporosis risk as estrogen drops in menopause. On the show, she and guest Sal Di Stefano agree that walking and cardio don't come close to resistance training for bone.
Read the answer →
Women's Health & Aging
Can I strength train after a knee or hip replacement?
Yes, according to several women on The WarriorBabe Show who did it. Johanna lifts three days a week after two total knee replacements and says she has no programming limitations. Peggy started about four to five months after her surgeries with one modified session a week. Follow your surgeon's guidance and modify every movement.
Read the answer →
Watch or listen in full
More on this topic →
59 minPelvic Floor Exercises for Women Over 40 and Menopause
With Kim Vopni