Perimenopause- Why Your Joints Ache

You hit your 40s, but your body recently doesn’t always agree:

• Knees complain on the stairs

• Hips and lower back feel stiff in the morning

• Shoulders ache after a normal day at the desk

• You think, “If I feel like this now, what will 60 be like?”

For many women this “ageing overnight” feeling actually lines up with perimenopause rather than “getting old”.

This blog is for you if:

• You’ve noticed new or worse aches and stiffness in your 40s

• You’re worried you’re “losing strength”, “ capacity” or becoming fragile

• You want natural, evidence-informed ways to support your joints and confidence – without pretending hormones don’t matter

Why joints can change in perimenopause

Perimenopause is the transition window before menopause. Hormones are fluctuating wildly, not just slowly “going down”. That hits your joints and muscles through a few clear pathways:

• Oestrogen shifts
  Oestrogen has effects on cartilage, muscles, ligaments and pain perception. When levels swing and trend lower, many women notice more aches, stiffness and “creakiness”.

• Sleep disruption
  Night sweats, early waking and busy brain turn up pain sensitivity and slow recovery. Poor sleep and pain feed each other.

• Stress and load
  Work, kids, ageing parents, constant mental load – your system is busy and tense. Muscles hold on. Joints don’t get the movement variety they need.

• Less movement, less strength
  If you’re sitting more, lifting less and moving only in short bursts, your muscles decondition, posture changes and joints feel less supported.

None of this means your body is “ageing too fast” or “ losing capacity”. It means your body is asking for different support in this life chapter.

What the evidence actually says

• Move, don’t freeze
  Regular movement (walking, cycling, swimming, yoga-style work) helps stiffness, mood and overall function.

• Build & keep muscle
  Strength / resistance training in midlife women improves strength, balance and bone health and reduces falls risk. It’s one of the most important things you can do for long-term independence.

• Mind–body approaches help the pain experience
  CBT, mindfulness-based programmes and yoga have been shown to reduce pain bother, fatigue and stress in midlife women, even when scans look “normal”.

• Hormones still matter
  HRT isn’t a joint-pain painkiller, but by calming hot flushes and sleep, it can indirectly help your pain and energy. That decision sits with you and your doctor; the holistic layer can help either way.

So the formula is less “magic supplement” and more:
move + strengthen + soothe the nervous system - that’s where Ayusha comes in,
+ get medical eyes on anything suspicious.

How to support joints & strength in perimenopause (in real terms)

Think in four pillars. You can adjust the details to your life.

1. Move most days (but not to punish yourself)

2. Start (or restart) strength training – kindly

3. Calm your nervous system

4. Make recovery goal in your life

Recovery in perimenopause looks like:

• Protecting some sleep – turning screens off earlier, saying no to one thing a week

• Allowing rest after heavier days, instead of pushing through every time

• Recognising that you are in a transition phase, not failing

Less guilt, more deliberate rest.

Why Ayusha – How We Actually Help You Do All This

You don’t need more theory. You need someone who can turn all of this into a plan that fits your body and your life – not a generic “over-40s” program.

At Ayusha in Newcastle and Bondi, that tanslates as:

• Body-based work to help your system feel safer and less guarded, so movement becomes possible again.

• Gentle, tailored movement and strength that respects your joints and nervous system – no bootcamps, no humiliation.

• Mind–body tools (breath, relaxation, focussed awareness) to turn down pain volume and support sleep.

• Realistic tweaks to your routines that work in your everyday life – not fantasy wellness schedules.

  We focus specifically on midlife, perimenopause and menopause. That means:

  • already assume your hormones, sleep and stress load are part of the picture.

  • don’t treat your joint pain like a random sports injury or tell you to “just lose weight and exercise more”.

  • work alongside your GP or specialist, not instead of them.

  If this is you…

If you’re in Newcastle, Bondi, Lake Macquarie, Warners Bay, Port Stephens or the Hunter and you’re thinking:

“I feel too young to feel this old, and I don’t want this to continue.”

then this is your sign to get proactive, not panic.

You can:

• Book a perimenopause assessment session to map what’s going on and start tailored support, or

• Start with a short discovery call if you’re unsure whether this is perimenopause, arthritis, “just stress” – or a mix of all three.

You’re just in a different chapter, and your joints and muscles need a different strategy.

We can build that, step by step.

When to get things medically checked

Perimenopause can be a big part of the story, but it’s not the only possible cause of joint pain.

See your GP or specialist if you notice:

• Sudden, intense swelling in one joint

• Hot, red joints

• Unexplained fevers, weight loss or night pain

• Severe morning stiffness that takes hours to ease

• New chest pain, shortness of breath or neurological symptoms

You deserve a proper checkup to rule out arthritis, inflammatory disease or other conditions. Holistic support works best alongside clear medical information, not instead of it.