Beyond Hot Flushes: Menopause, Joint Pain and Tendon Health
Most people associate menopause with hot flushes and disturbed sleep, but aching joints, stiffness and sore tendons can also appear during this stage of life. If you’ve noticed new aches that don’t seem to have an obvious cause, you’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone.
Why does oestrogen matter?
Oestrogen helps regulate inflammation and supports the maintenance of cartilage and other connective tissues. As levels fluctuate and fall during perimenopause and menopause, some women experience increased joint pain and stiffness, often first noticed in the hands, knees, hips or shoulders. Hormones are only part of the picture, though. Ageing, previous injuries, sleep quality and activity levels all influence how your joints feel.
What about tendons?
Tendons connect muscles to bones, and they rely on a steady process of repair and renewal to stay healthy. Oestrogen influences collagen turnover, the ongoing renewal of a major building block of tendons. Lower levels may affect how tendons maintain themselves and respond to exercise, although research is still clarifying how these changes translate into pain or injury in women.
What can help?
Staying active is one of the best things you can do. Keep moving, build strength gradually and allow recovery between harder sessions. Strength training in particular supports muscles, tendons and bones, all of which matter more as we age.
Physiotherapy can help identify the cause of your symptoms and tailor an exercise program to improve strength, mobility and your tolerance for everyday activities, so you can keep doing the things you enjoy.
It’s also worth speaking with your GP or a hormone specialist about troublesome menopause symptoms. Menopausal hormone therapy may be appropriate for some women, and a conversation about your options can help you decide what’s right for you.
At Premium Physio & Health, we can help you stay strong, active and confident through menopause and beyond.
Comments