Episode 107: Pelvic Floor Health for Dancers with Dr Brooke Winder

Written By Lex Lancaster

Pelvic health for dancers is an area of clinical practice that is currently growing in research and awareness. This week on the podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Brooke Winder to discuss pelvic health issues that are common in dancers. In this episode, we cover common pelvic health symptoms that dancers (of all ages) may experience, why stubborn back, pelvic girdle or hip pain may actually be related to your pelvic floor, and how certain cueing or technique used in dance may be contributing to pelvic floor dysfunction.

About Dr. Brooke Winder:

Brooke Winder is a Southern California-based physical therapist who specializes in dance medicine and in addressing issues within and surrounding the pelvic floor for performing artists. She is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Dance Science degree program at California State University Long Beach, and also serves patients through her clinical practice, Renew Motion Physical Therapy Inc. She is adept at assisting performers in optimizing pelvic and orthopedic health while navigating common issues such as hypermobility. 

Dr. Winder has presented at several national and international conferences, and her research has been published in the Journal of Women’s & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, Clinical Biomechanics, Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, and Orthopedic Physical Therapy Practice. 

Dr. Winder teaches continuing education courses for rehabilitation professionals that focus on addressing pelvic health in artistic athletes, and has authored and co-authored pelvic floor-focused chapters in recent books including The ‘Female’ Dancer: A Soma-scientific Approach, Dance Injuries: Reducing Risk and Maximizing Performance, and Myths of Menopause: A Guide to Increasing Your Menopause Wisdom. She also regularly teaches workshops on injury risk-reduction as well as pelvic floor health for dancers and dance educators. She is a Board-Certified Specialist in Orthopedic physical therapy, a BASI-Certified Pilates Instructor, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. She has a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California, a BFA in Dance from Chapman University, and formerly danced professionally for the Southern-California based contemporary company Backhausdance.

Connect with Brooke:
Website: Renew Motion Physical Therapy
Instagram: @drbrookewinderpt

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

Lex Lancaster https://lexlancaster.com
Next

Episode 106: Pointe Readiness Assessments for Dancers