Exercise Strategies for Joint Health: Key Tips for Women in Perimenopause and Menopause

​Are you finding that aches and pains in your knees, hips, or shoulders are slowing you down? Joint discomfort is a common concern for many women, particularly as they transition through perimenopause and menopause. The good news is that how you exercise can make a significant difference in reducing pain, improving joint strength, and supporting overall bone health.
 
In this blog, I'm going to look at how to manage joint health through exercise, focusing on practical strategies that can help alleviate pain and improve mobility— so that you can stay fit and strong for life.
 
Why Exercise is Crucial for Joint Health
As we age, our joint health can naturally deteriorate, but this process accelerates for women going through menopause due to hormonal fluctuations, particularly the decrease in ostrogen. This hormone plays a vital role in maintaining bone density and muscle mass, which support the joints. But this is why it is important to keep exercising, when your instinct may be to avoid it:
 
Strengthening the Muscles: Exercise helps strengthen the muscles around your joints, providing them with better support and reducing strain. Strong muscles also act as shock absorbers, which is particularly important for conditions like osteoarthritis.
Joint Lubrication: Movement helps lubricate your joints, which can reduce stiffness and make everyday activities more comfortable. Staying active is key to maintaining healthy joint function.

How Hormones Affect Joint Health During Menopause
As ostrogen levels drop during menopause, women may experience an increase in joint pain. Ostrogen has anti-inflammatory properties and plays a role in maintaining joint lubrication, so its reduction can lead to joint stiffness and discomfort. Additionally, lower ostrogen can accelerate the loss of bone density, which increases the risk of osteoporosis.
 
Adjusting Your Exercise Routine
During menopause, it’s important to adjust your exercise routine to account for hormonal changes. Here are a few key tips:
 
Prioritise strength training: Muscle mass naturally decreases as ostrogen levels drop, so incorporating strength training into your routine can help combat this.
Incorporate recovery time: Hormonal changes can increase the time your body needs to recover after exercise. Don’t be afraid to take a day off between strength training sessions.
Focus on form: Proper form is crucial to avoid injury and strain on the joints. Consider working with a personal trainer or physical therapist to ensure you’re moving correctly.

The Best Exercises for Joint Health
Choosing the right exercises is important to avoid putting too much stress on your joints while still building strength and improving mobility.
 
Strength Training
Strength training is essential for maintaining muscle mass, which supports the joints and bones. Exercises that focus on building strength can help manage and prevent conditions like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.
 
Bodyweight exercises: Squats, push-ups, and glute bridges are excellent ways to build strength without stressing your joints.
Resistance band exercises: These allow for controlled movements and can be tailored to different fitness levels, making them great for protecting joints while strengthening muscles.
 
Low-Impact Aerobic Exercise
Low-impact exercises are a great way to get your heart rate up without putting too much strain on your joints. Swimming, cycling, and walking are all excellent options which give a full body workout without putting pressure on the knees or hips. Make sure to wear supportive shoes when walking or jogging, especially if you have conditions like plantar fasciitis.
 
Flexibility and Stretching
Maintaining flexibility becomes increasingly important in helping improve your range of motion and reduces tension in the muscles surrounding the joints.
 
Gentle stretches: Incorporate stretches for your hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. These help reduce strain on your knee and hip joints.
Yoga and Pilates: These practices can help maintain flexibility and balance, improving how your body moves and supporting your joints. ​

Exercise Strategies for Specific Joint Conditions
 
Osteoarthritis
For those dealing with osteoarthritis, particularly in the knees or hips, exercises should focus on strengthening the muscles around the affected joint while avoiding high-impact movements that can lead to flare-ups.
 
Try: Mini squats, wall sits, leg extensions, and water aerobics. These exercises strengthen the muscles around the joints without overloading them.

Osteoporosis
For women with osteoporosis, weight-bearing exercises are key to maintaining bone density. However, it's important to avoid exercises that involve twisting or excessive bending of the spine.

Try: Resistance training with bodyweight exercises, walking, and even light plyometric activities like heel drops, if appropriate.
 
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is common in post-menopausal women due to changes in foot structure and connective tissue health. 
 
Try: Stretching the calves, Achilles tendon, and arches of the feet can relieve pain. It's also important to wear supportive shoes during exercise.

Practical Takeaways for Healthy Joints
Maintaining joint health as you age is all about balance: balancing strength and flexibility, high-intensity and low-impact exercise, and work with recovery. Here are some key takeaways to keep in mind:
 
Start with strength: Make strength training a priority to support your joints and bones.
Keep moving: Low-impact aerobic exercises like swimming and walking will keep your joints lubricated and improve mobility.
Stretch regularly: Daily stretching will help reduce stiffness and improve flexibility, which is crucial for joint health.
Adapt with time: As your body changes during menopause, be mindful of the need for more recovery and adjustments in your routine to prevent injury.
 
By incorporating these exercise strategies into your daily routine, you can keep your joints healthy and pain-free, even as you age. Remember, joint health is a lifelong commitment, and with the right approach, you can stay active and strong for years to come!

If you'd like to know more about how to stay strong for your particular stage of life or a specific condition, get in touch with me for a no obligation chat.