Christien Bird MSc, MCSP 

Christien is one of the co-founder of the online Menopause Movement online training & community platform for health and fitness professionals, www.menopausemovement.co.  The movement has created a community and training platform for the fitness and medical world to confidently treat & train women into the menopause.

She is a Chartered Physiotherapist and is the practice owner of the White Hart Clinic which opened its doors in 1995. The clinic is an inter-disciplinary clinic, where physio’s, osteopaths, podiatrist, massage therapists work closely together under one roof.. The clinic has expanded since re-opening after a short Covid closure and has welcomed 2 menopause doctors and 2 GP’s to their team.

Clinically she specialises in women's health physiotherapy and Ultrasound imaging of the pelvic floor muscles and perineal evaluation. She treats women who have not fully regained their urinary or bowel control following delivery as well as those mums that appear to make a good recovery but develop incontinence or organ prolapsed years later. Over the last 8 years Christien has developed a clinical interest in treating and managing women during the peri menopause and beyond as well as tutoring and presenting at menopause events. 

Before starting up the clinic, she worked as superintendent physiotherapist at the out-patients department at the Central Middlesex Hospital and as a research coordinator. Christien completed a Masters degree in clinical research methodology from King’s College and has coordinated a large clinical trial looking at the effects of physiotherapy for acute low back pain. Her work has been published in medical peer review journals worldwide.

She also  loves movement, and exercise is often the missing piece in best menopause management strategies. Her movement story really started when she first moved to the UK, before that she did the usual school sports and being dutch cycled everywhere. Her first job in the UK as a physio was in a cottage NHS hospital in the Midlands. There wasn’t much going on outside work so she joined a gym, met a group of keen trail runners, which became great mates and she was hooked. When she moved to London,  started rowing, again she was hooked, the training, the fun, the friendships, it ticked all the boxes.

Arriving at the peri-menopause myself and Into the menopause: Yoga  has been a huge help, as well as swimming and running with friends. Continuing to register for events from adventure marathons, to open water events to fun road races, she even managed one ultra (was brilliant, first and last one!). We do wonder why when we turn up to races and feel so nervous, well out of our comfort zone, but it does work, it means we show up to train, stay strong and catch up with friends, it is my live wire and happy drug.

We are now training for a sprint aquathon event, 1km open water swim and 5km run, we qualified to represent GB for our age group with British Triathlon and have the worlds coming up in Slovakia with my training buddy @rebeccapeagram. W. I hope our course can inspire all women to exercises confidently, no matter if it is starting to increase your daily walks, to climbing mount Everest, our community is there to support all