Why subscribe?
The female* athlete-pelvic health research base is growing and our practice patterns have evolved. However, social media and educational models are still stuck on siloed ideas, old debates, and surface level content.
I crave depth. If you found your way here, you probably do too.
This is your invitation to rethink how we approach pelvic, pregnancy, postpartum, and performance health for fit and athletic folks. My goal is to equip you by making the research relatable, clinical and training strategies well-reasoned, and discussions thoughtful.
Sports Medicine Pros: Join in to engage in thought processes that will help you integrate pelvic health and address pregnancy/postpartum needs in higher-intensity activity.
Pelvic Health Pros: Hang out to discover how to connect your existing skills to fitness demands.
Students (Medical, Rehab, Athletic Training): Pull up to build your critical thinking skills, and add pelvic health considerations to your differentials.
Athletes: Chime in to help us know better what our knowledge gaps are and get some guidance along the way.
For Everyone: Ask your questions here!
In this little corner of the internet, my intention is to keep asking the questions that help us dig beyond the surface. Join me as I pursue an un-siloed path forward, bridging pelvic, pregnancy, postpartum and performance health with evidenced-based insights and guidance to support whole athlete care.
Ready to dig deep? It starts by asking great questions, for you or a friend!
Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter, public posts, publication archives, first look at upcoming events, and online course discounts.
Consider upgrading to paid for more opportunities to learn, discuss, ask questions, and collaborate. Paid subscribers can post comments and participate in discussions, attend quarterly Q and A’s, and join a bi-monthly journal club (every 2-months). Or upgrade simply to support the time and effort behind this work, I appreciate it.
Upcoming Journal Club Dates: (2025) July 20, Sep 21, Nov 16. (2026) Jan 18, Mar 15, May 17. (Bi-monthly Third Sunday). (Check out the researchers and topics for each date HERE)
Quarterly Q and A Dates: (2025) Aug 17 and Dec 7Overactivity; (2026) Feb 22 and April 19 ( More info HERE)
Times: 1 PM LA/ 4 PM NY/ 9 PM London/ 6 AM Sydney (the next day)
*Female refers to biological sex, with the recognition that this may or may not reflect a persons previous or current gender identity.
Why Ask Julie?
Kicking things off with an action shot of me earnestly trying to bridge Sports Medicine and Pelvic Health. As a sports medicine physical therapist, educator, advocate, and researcher, I’ve spent over 29 years in this critical space between worlds. My mission has been to find new paths through this uncharted terrain—and to invite others to explore it with me. True, whole-athlete care for active and athletic females lives here, in the middle ground.
My career began in sports medicine and orthopedics, and transitioned to addressing the fitness needs of pregnant and postpartum populations after I had my first kiddo (over 22 years ago). At the time, there were no bridges to help me or my patients return to physical activity postpartum. So I started building them.
By applying sports medicine principles, emerging evidence, and integrative, systems-based thinking, I began crafting a care model that supported both performance goals and pelvic health needs. That model has evolved over decades as an external, movement, and fitness-based approach offering a more integrated path forward for active populations. Contemporary, best practices now embrace BOTH external strategies that integrate pelvic health with movement AND more traditional internal interventions.
As an educator, I’ve had the privilege of sharing this work in clinics, academic programs, conferences, and professional organizations around the world. (You can check out online courses [here] and upcoming live events [here].) Academia also gave me space to pursue research—trying to answer some of my longstanding clinical questions and to help fill the huge research gap around female athletes. (More on that [here]!) I’m still asking questions, collaborating, and learning.
Over the years, I’ve used social media, blogging, media interviews/podcasts, and now this Substack to get the word out that pelvic health impacts athlete health and performance. And the health of the athlete impacts pelvic health. It's not just about Kegels. It's about systems, strategy, and seeing the whole picture.
Welcome to Asking for a Friend. Let’s dig in.
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