Ep 164: Menopause in Motion - There is More to Menopause & Movement Than You Think

09/11/24 • 69 min

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

In this episode, biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram talk about menopause and movement. They discuss menopause as a natural developmental phase that humans share with only a few other highly social marine mammals. They explain the evolution of menopause in relation to the role of grandmothers within human—and whale—societies and also explore the movement diet of postmenopausal women within hunter-gatherer tribes.

Katy and Jeannette discuss health concerns that arise around menopause: bone osteoporosis, muscle loss and cardiovascular issues and how movement is key to maintaining those tissues. They speak to the loud media noise around ‘heavy lifting’ and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) as the ways to stay strong. They explain that we absolutely require muscle strengthening and bone loading activity as well as some intense heart and lung movement. However, the way we get those movements could be, but does not have to be, in a gym. They share ideas on how to get the movement our bodies need, in ways that we enjoy and work for us as individuals.

Finally, don't miss the end! Katy remembers to talk more about the benefits of menopause, particularly in relation to remodeling of the brain.

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

Finally, don't miss the end! Katy remembers to talk more about the benefits of menopause, particularly in relation to remodeling of the brain.

Previous Episode

Ep 163: Are Lungs Outside the Body?

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

Biomechanist Katy Bowman talks with biologist Jeannette Loram about lung movement.

Katy and Jeannette debate whether the lung surfaces are actually outside the body, similar to the tubes of the gut, and discuss how lung movement is not only important for breathing but also for immunity. They discuss the anatomy of our lungs and the mechanics of lung movement and explain how our lungs, just like our hips, have a range of motion that they need to be moved through on a regular basis.

They discuss humans as endurance-adapted animals and explain how our ribcage anatomy is adapted for greater lung movement compared with non-endurance animals. They also discuss postural issues such as hyperkyphosis and forward shoulders that can limit our ability to take good breaths.

Finally, they touch on some unique breathing scenarios such as high-altitude and aquatic environments.

Next Episode

Ep 165: Is There Really a 'Right' Way to Walk?

Barefoot Expo May 16-17 2025

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram discuss gait and question whether there is a ‘right’ way to walk.

They explain the mechanics of walking gait, outlining the phases and shapes that each leg and foot should move through during the gait cycle. They propose that an ‘abnormal’ gait would be one that is missing one of these phases or shapes. They also suggest a framework for assessing walking based on efficiency, symmetry and balance. They talk about gait deficits such as shuffling and waddling and what is missing in those gait patterns while acknowledging that we are all individuals and not all gait variation is abnormal or needs to be corrected.

Katy suggests we can only get to the heart of this question by considering human movement ecology; particularly the volume we walk, the shoes we walk in and, for most modern humans, the lack of a requirement to walk long distances efficiently. They discuss this in relation to human hunter-gatherers as well as other animals.

Finally, they answer a couple of listener questions on the rather unusual gait seen in racewalking.