Hinge Health and Midi Health: A Partnership for Holistic Menopause Care
In a groundbreaking collaboration, musculoskeletal company Hinge Health and menopause-focused company Midi Health announced a partnership designed to provide comprehensive support for women navigating the complexities of menopause. The partnership marks a significant step towards integrating physical health with menopausal care, an aspect that has often been overlooked in traditional healthcare settings.
Hinge Health: A Leader in Movement-Based Therapy
Hinge Health, headquartered in San Francisco, operates as a robust resource for payers and employers, offering specialized physical therapy for a range of musculoskeletal issues. With an emphasis on personalized care, patients receive dedicated support from a team that includes physical therapists, health coaches, and physicians.
Recently, Hinge Health expanded its offerings to include movement-based menopause support, targeting women suffering from various menopausal symptoms, particularly those with musculoskeletal and pelvic health conditions. This innovative program provides patients with exercise support, lifestyle strategies, and educational resources aimed at alleviating common menopause symptoms. These include not only hot flashes but also joint and muscle pain, which many women experience as a result of fluctuating estrogen levels during this stage of life.
Introducing Midi Health: A Virtual Clinic for Women
Partnering with Midi Health, a Palo Alto-based virtual clinic, Hinge Health is poised to enhance the care provided to women in the perimenopause and menopause stages. Midi Health targets women aged 35 to 65, addressing a wide spectrum of issues, from mental health challenges to physical discomforts such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and painful intercourse. Myriad services offered by Midi include medications, supplements, lifestyle coaching, and round-the-clock messaging support to ensure women have access to the care they need when they need it.
Joanna Strober, CEO of Midi Health, highlights the often-overlooked connection between joint pain and menopause, stating, “Joint pain and bone loss are two common symptoms women experience in peri/menopause. By combining our strengths, we’re able to provide women with a comprehensive solution that includes movement-based therapy through Hinge Health and access to clinical care via Midi.”
The Impact of Menopause on Musculoskeletal Health
The significance of addressing musculoskeletal issues during menopause cannot be overstated. Research indicates that around 71% of women experiencing menopause contend with joint and muscle pain, a symptom attributed to the decline in estrogen levels. The University of Central Florida School of Medicine has introduced the term musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause to better encapsulate this range of symptoms, emphasizing the need for healthcare providers to recognize and address these issues in the context of menopause.
Arielle Slam, principal product manager of women’s health at Hinge Health, notes the growing awareness of the diverse symptoms associated with menopause, which often lead to fragmented treatment paths. “We’re seeing growing recognition of the wide range of symptoms women experience during menopause, which leads to delayed treatment or the need to consult multiple providers,” Slam explains.
A Holistic Approach to Menopause
The collaboration between Hinge Health and Midi Health aims to break down silos surrounding menopause care by promoting a holistic approach. Traditional views have largely reduced menopause to manageable symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, but both companies seek to alter this narrative. As Strober articulates, “The estrogen depletion that comes with menopause affects the whole body.”
By providing an integrated framework for care that encompasses both physical therapy and clinical support, the partnership will greatly enhance accessibility to effective treatment modalities. The goal is to assure women that they do not have to endure their symptoms in silence; there are effective and comprehensive avenues of care available to them.
The Future of Women’s Health
As Hinge Health and Midi Health embark on this partnership, they join the ranks of other companies poised to revolutionize healthcare for women. While Sword Health and Kaia Health continue to provide innovative solutions for musculoskeletal conditions, companies like Gennev and Evernow focus on unique aspects of menopause care.
In closing, the collaboration between Hinge Health and Midi Health is a promising development in the realm of women’s health. By merging their expertise, they aspire to create a more inclusive, comprehensive, and effective approach to addressing the multifaceted symptoms of menopause. The partnership stands as a testament to the evolving understanding of women’s health and the essential integration of physical and clinical care in managing menopause — a stage of life that affects millions of women worldwide.
Photo: kate_sept2004, Getty Images
