In this episode, Dr. Diedra Manns explains the stages of reproductive aging, from the reproductive years through perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. She explores how menstrual patterns, symptoms, hormone testing, and medical history help provide context for where you may be, even if you use hormonal contraception, have an IUD, have had a hysterectomy, or experienced surgical menopause.

You’ll also learn why understanding your reproductive stage may help you ask better questions about joint pain, stiffness, strength changes, and your overall musculoskeletal health.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and disclaimer
00:53 Why women need a menopause map
03:00 Understanding STRAW+10
03:48 The stages of reproductive aging
08:23 Symptoms versus menstrual staging
09:32 Hormone testing and its limitations
11:08 When you don’t have periods to track
12:49 Menopause and musculoskeletal health
14:44 Key takeaways and questions for your provider
16:02 The Who Is Peri? reflection

If this episode made you think of another woman who could use the map, please share it with her—because friends don’t let friends navigate Peri alone.

Core sources supporting this episode

1.. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2011-3362

2. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000912

3.. https://doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.OA.25.00089

4. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8842110

5 https://doi.org/10.1080/13697137.2024.2380363

6. . https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00060-7

7. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.180

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This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not individualized medical or physical therapy advice, and it is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Listening doesn’t establish a clinician-patient relationship. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual symptoms, health concerns, and treatment decisions.

The name of this podcast started with a husband, his wife...and a pretty big misunderstanding about someone named Peri.

In this debut episode of The Who Is Peri? Podcast, Dr. Diedra Manns explores what the name Peri has come to represent—and introduces the conversation at the center of this show: the Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause (MSM).

What happens when changes in your joints, muscles, strength, movement or recovery begin showing up in midlife? Menopause may be part of the context—but it isn't automatically the explanation for everything.

Drawing from her own experience with surgical menopause, Diedra also shares why decades of studying and treating the human body weren't enough to help her navigate everything that was happening to her—and how that realization helped shape Stability Before Performance™.

Because stability isn't the destination. Meaningful performance is.

In This Episode

You'll hear about:

• The unexpected question that inspired Who Is Peri?
• The different meanings behind the name Peri
• What the Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause is and why it matters
• Why menopause can be important context without becoming the explanation for every physical change
• Diedra's experience with surgical menopause and severe anxiety
• Why understanding physiology alone wasn't enough
• The thinking behind Stability Before Performance™
• What meaningful performance can look like in real life

Episode Timestamps

00:00 — Who Is Peri?
The misunderstanding that gave the podcast its name—and why the question turned out to be much bigger than it first appeared.

~04:30 — What May Be Happening in the Body
MSM, estrogen and the musculoskeletal system—and why menopause should be considered context rather than an automatic diagnosis.

~07:00 — Why Science Alone Wasn't Enough for Me
Diedra's experience with surgical menopause, a severe anxiety attack, and discovering that understanding how the body works wasn't enough to navigate what she was experiencing.

~11:00 — Stability Before Performance™
A different starting point for responding when your body begins to feel less predictable.

~12:30 — What We're Building Toward
Why stability isn't the final goal, what Diedra means by meaningful performance, and the conversations ahead on Who Is Peri?

~14:00 — Your Who Is Peri? Question
A question to carry with you after the episode.

Your Who Is Peri?™ Question

Where have you noticed something changing in your body and assumed, “I guess this is just getting older”?

Share the Episode

If someone came to mind while you were listening—especially a woman who's been asking some version of “What is happening to me?”—send this episode to her. Because Friends don't let friends navigate peri alone.

Featured Scientific References

Wright VJ, Schwartzman JD, Itinoche R, Wittstein J. (2024).
The musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause. Climacteric, 27(5), 466–472.

The Menopause Society (2024).
Premature menopause linked to increased musculoskeletal pain and likelihood of sarcopenia.

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