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The Physical Script 5: "I have this Pain!" Why women experience more joint pain during the menopause phase.
- Christine Chapman
- Apr 24
- 3 min read
When dealing with joint pain, women may openly discuss it, endure it quietly, or completely ignore it in hopes that it will disappear. As a menopause coach, I frequently observe that they experience increased pain during menopause. The reactions to this pain vary widely, from defeatist attitudes like "It's my age!" or "I'm falling apart!" to feelings of anger and frustration, such as "Why is this happening to me?" It's understandable that, along with weight gain, joint pain during the peri and post-menopause phase can adversely affect quality of life.
An increase in pain intensity, or the onset of a new pain frequently appears in the peri-menopause phase. Unrecognised, ignored and not addressed, pain can lead to chronic symptoms, anxiety and even an increased sensitivity to pain later on. Let's take a dive into why this happens, and more importantly who is there to help?
Understand the role of diminished oestrogen in joint pain.
Oestrogen circulates in high levels pre menopause. It regulates inflammation, helps damaged cells repair and avoids an accumulation of fat mass at cell level. So it can be understood that post menopause (with 80 – 100% reduction in oestrogen, depending on health history and genetics) women will feel some effects of hormone decline as pain. As there is rarely joint pain without inflammation, it is important to understand that other life factors (nutritional quality, age, prior injury) could also be inhibiting healthy joint function.
The pain experience can increase in the early years of the post-menopause stage. Often expressed as back, hip, knee, shoulder, ankle and wrist pain… either an immediate on set of, or low lying chronic pain.
Understand the impact of poor posture and the negative impact on joint pain.
With a keyboard or scrolling work/lifestyle, todays peri-menopausal woman has most probably spent 20+ years sitting with at a screen with elbows in 90 degree position and hunched shoulders. The negative impact of the small repetitive hand movements may affect hand, wrist, forearm and shoulder connectivity. Sitting hunched without regular breaks may affect back and pelvic mobility and functionality.
Understand the impact of immobility
We were made to move! Movement involves the skeletal, muscular and connective tissue system of the body. As a 21st century woman going through menopause, it is probably the most challenging time of life! And exercise and fitness is usually the first sacrifice. It is ironic that so much emphasis is placed in early motherhood on baby's first steps. Move on to the later years and ask: "Is she still walking?" Less activity begets less activity and is unlikely to result in any long term positive outcome.
What to do?
Accept and address the pain
Recognising and labelling pain on a scale of 1-10 allows us to hold pain objectively. Holding that number and working with the it, rather than against it is the beginning of accepting there is a problem and moving forward.
Get help
Research the options, both medically and holistically. This will include doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths, massage therapists, chiropractors and fitness professionals. One diagnosis will likely not fix the problem. Find the people to trust and decide to work with them, starting slowly and building up, with a mindset to constantly evaluate the process.
Move
There is a huge driving force for inactivity in our culture. Fight against it, everyday. You maybe on the go all the time, and the first thing to sacrifice should NOT be your exercise. Find a time, a place and an activity to enjoy and do it. And daily get up from the desk, extend the spine, bend and rotate, walk, push and pull...consistently!
Keep moving
Read the above paragraph again!
Consider hormone therapy
Medical hormone therapy along with the above recommendations, offers another optional treatment to help mitigate the effects of Menopause on the muscular skeletal system. Supporting oestrogen levels will aid against inflammation, assist in cell metabolism and is known to help alleviate joint pain.
As a women's health coach, I believe joint pain can be the most debilitating symptom of menopause because it begins to reduce a woman's independence and ultimately can lead to falls and bone breakages. Movement is the ultimate prescription to a stronger, less painful, independent future! It begins with mindset, discovery, action and consistency. Get in touch if you want to know more about mobility, strength, pilates and yoga classes as well as 1:1 rehabilitation training, or you just want a chat about where to start.
Resources:
The complete guide to the Menopause. Dr Anniee Mukherjee
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