One of the things you may notice around menopause is aching joints. Perhaps you could once sit cross-legged on a floor and jump up again with no problem, but now you can’t and your muscles and joints are starting to hurt in a way that they never have before. We explain why hormone changes in menopause cause your muscles and joints to ache, and what you can do about it.
Increased sensitivity to joint pain in menopause
The reason that you feel pain in your bones and joints can be due to several different factors, but estrogen, the hormone that declines rapidly during menopause, has a part to play.
Curiously, estrogen is thought to influence how you actually experience pain. When your estrogen levels decline you are slightly more sensitive to pain stimuli than you might have been previously.
Tendinopathy
Joints are where two bones meet and are bound by complex structures of tendons and muscles that make the joint stable. Tendons, which connect muscle to bone, are made up of a protein called collagen. Collagen is also what makes your skin plump and firm and your hair thick and shiny.
Estrogen stimulates collagen production through special cells called fibroblasts. As your estrogen levels decline, your collagen levels do also, and the support structures of your joints become less robust.
Tendinopathy is often caused by degeneration of the collagen protein that forms the tendon, and you generally find it in places where your tendons are used repeatedly. This degeneration can lead to localized inflammation called tendonitis, which can cause pain and swelling among other symptoms.
Osteoarthritis
Humans are upright, busy creatures. From childhood, you are walking and running around, and using your hands to create and write. A result of all this activity is that your joints become worn down, particularly the ones that carry a lot of weight. These tend to be your hips, knees, and ankles, or ones that do a lot of work such as your hands. This wear and tear on your joints with accompanying inflammation – swelling – is called osteoarthritis. Around one-fifth of all adults over 45 years have osteoarthritis in their knees.
Estrogen reduces inflammation in the joints and stops them from feeling as painful. When estrogen levels decline inflammation can increase. This means as estrogen levels fall, your risk of osteoarthritis goes up. However, that’s not the whole story. Osteoarthritis is a complex condition and your age, lifestyle, and genetics all play a part in its development.
Thinning of the bones (osteoporosis and osteopenia)
Alongside this, estrogen also keeps your bones strong and healthy – without it, your bones can become thinner and less dense. Osteopenia is the term we use when you have lost a small amount of your bone mass. Osteoporosis is when they have become so thin that they are at risk of breaking.
It is important to pay attention to any persistent aches and pains as they could be caused by so-called fragility fractures. These happen when bones break, sometimes with very minimal or no symptoms at all. Your healthcare provider will be able to assess you properly if you think this could be the case.
Find out more about osteoporosis and menopause.
Natural remedies for aches and pains during menopause
Is there anything you can do to protect your bones, muscles, and joints aside from taking estrogen? The answer is in fact, yes! There are many things you can do to look after your body at this time.
While estrogen has a role to play, other things are also able to promote strong and healthy bones, muscles, and joints…
Nutrition
A diet rich in protein will help muscle growth, and one that is rich in calcium and vitamin D will help protect your bones. It won’t be news to you that smoking and drinking more than one drink per day can negatively impact your bones. On the other hand, fruit and leafy vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals that help with bone and muscle protection.
Exercise
Don’t underestimate the importance of exercise during menopause. It’s not just about managing your weight, it is now about strengthening your muscles and protecting your bones.
Aerobic exercise will strengthen your large muscle groups. This could include:
- Walking
- Jogging
- Biking
- Swimming
- Dancing
- Vigorous cleaning or gardening
Strength training using weights and doing Pilates are good for your core and will help prevent bone thinning.
Stretching is also important. Yoga or similar will help keep your joints supple and your tendons strong.
It’s important not to overdo it though. Long-distance running, for example, can put a strain on your lower back and knees and increase your risk of arthritis. Moderation is key. Listen to your body – if it’s hurting you, then stop.
If you notice swelling, pain, or stiffness in a particular joint or muscle group that is persisting, make sure you speak to your healthcare provider. Don’t ignore it or try and push on through the pain.
Final word
Estrogen does so much to protect you from feeling achy, including:
- Strengthening bones
- Reducing inflammation of the joints
But you don’t need to put up with aches and pains during menopause. Exploring HT to help make up for the estrogen it is missing is one option. Otherwise, eating well and exercising regularly may also help you feel more comfortable and strong, and live a healthy life during menopause and beyond.
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