You stand up from the couch and your knees feel stiff. Your shoulders ache after a simple workout. Even rolling out of bed can make you feel like you’ve aged 20 years overnight.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Joint pain and stiffness affect up to 50% of women during perimenopause and menopause (NIH). Yet, it’s one of the least talked-about symptoms of this transition.
The truth is, those creaky joints aren’t always about “getting older.” Hormonal changes -especially the decline of estrogen plays a major role in how your joints feel and function. The good news? Once you understand why it’s happening, there are practical ways to reduce the pain and protect your mobility for years to come.
Why Perimenopause Can Trigger Joint Pain
Estrogen’s Protective Role
Estrogen isn’t just about reproductive health. It’s an anti-inflammatory hormone that helps protect cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. As estrogen levels drop, inflammation in the body can rise, leading to sore or stiff joints (Harvard Health).
Collagen Decline
Estrogen supports collagen production, which keeps joints cushioned and flexible. Lower estrogen means less collagen, making joints feel stiffer and more prone to aches.
Increased Inflammation
Hormonal shifts can trigger the release of pro-inflammatory molecules. This systemic inflammation often shows up as joint discomfort, especially in the hands, knees, and hips.
Muscle Loss (Sarcopenia)
Perimenopause accelerates muscle loss, which means joints lose some of the support they rely on, making them work harder and feel more strained.
Lifestyle Amplifiers
Stress, poor sleep, lack of movement, sugary drinks, and processed foods can all add fuel to the inflammation fire.
The Bigger Picture: Estrogen and Long-Term Joint Health
Estrogen decline during perimenopause isn’t just about today’s stiffness. It’s a long-term joint health issue.
As estrogen falls, women face higher risks of:
- Osteoarthritis: Wear-and-tear arthritis linked to joint breakdown.
- Osteoporosis: Thinner bones make joints and ligaments more vulnerable.
- Chronic inflammation: A driver of ongoing joint pain.
That’s why addressing joint health now is so important. The steps you take during perimenopause help protect mobility, independence, and quality of life long after menopause.
What Joint Pain in Perimenopause Feels Like
- Morning stiffness that improves after moving
- Achy knees, hips, shoulders, or hands
- Swelling or tenderness around joints
- Reduced flexibility
- Cracking or popping sounds when moving
For some women, it feels like early arthritis. For others, it’s intermittent stiffness that comes and goes. Either way, it can interfere with daily life and workouts.
Practical Ways to Relieve Joint Pain and Stiffness
🏃 Keep Moving
Movement lubricates joints and strengthens muscles around them.
- Low-impact cardio: walking, cycling, swimming
- Strength training: protects joints by stabilizing them
- Stretching/yoga: improves flexibility and reduces stiffness
🛌 Prioritize Sleep
Poor sleep increases inflammation and pain sensitivity. Create a calming bedtime routine and keep your sleep space cool and dark.
🥦 Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
- Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins
- Add omega-3 rich foods (salmon, walnuts, chia seeds)
- Limit processed foods, fried foods, and sugary drinks that spike inflammation
💧 Stay Hydrated
Cartilage is about 70% water. Dehydration makes joints feel drier and less cushioned.
🧘 Manage Stress
Stress hormones increase inflammation. Breathing practices, meditation, and mindfulness reduce cortisol and joint sensitivity.
Natural Supports for Joint Comfort
Certain herbs and nutrients can help reduce inflammation, regulate stress, and support joint health:
- Ashwagandha: Shown to reduce markers of inflammation and joint pain, while balancing cortisol (PubMed). Found in Hormone Balance and Calm Nights.
- Magnesium Bisglycinate: Supports muscle relaxation and reduces stiffness. Found in Calm Nights.
- Rhodiola Rosea: Reduces fatigue and improves resilience, which helps women stay active even when joints ache (PubMed). Found in Brain Fog & Energy.
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom: Supports nerve health, reducing pain sensitivity over time (PubMed). Present in Brain Fog & Energy.
- Bacopa Monnieri: Supports cognitive resilience and may help reduce inflammation (PubMed). Found in Brain Fog & Energy.
Together, these natural supports provide women with options whether they’re on HRT, can’t take it, or want to go all-natural.
What About HRT?
HRT can help reduce joint pain in some women, likely due to estrogen’s anti-inflammatory effects. However, it’s not a first-line treatment for arthritis or chronic joint disease (Mayo Clinic).
That’s why lifestyle changes and natural supports remain essential, whether or not you choose hormone therapy.
When to See Your Doctor
Seek medical care if you experience:
- Sudden swelling or redness in a joint
- Severe pain that doesn’t improve with rest
- Joints that feel unstable or lock up
- Stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes every morning
- Pain that worsens progressively over months
These may indicate arthritis, autoimmune disease, or another condition requiring treatment.
The Takeaway
Joint pain and stiffness in perimenopause are common, but not inevitable. Estrogen decline drives inflammation, collagen loss, and stiffness, but this stage of life is also a chance to protect your joints for the future.
By staying active, eating anti-inflammatory foods, avoiding sugary drinks, managing stress, and using natural supports like ashwagandha, magnesium, rhodiola, lion’s mane, and bacopa, you can move through perimenopause with less pain and more confidence.
At Sisterhood Supplements, we created Hormone Balance, Calm Nights, and Brain Fog & Energy to support women through exactly these transitions. Whether you’re on HRT, can’t take it, or prefer to stay natural, your joints deserve support that helps you stay strong, flexible, and free-moving for decades to come.
Because midlife should be about moving forward and not feeling stuck in place.
References
- MacGregor, A. J., et al. (2019). Menopausal transition and joint pain: A review. Menopause, 26(6), 605–612. NIH/PMC6724519
- Harvard Health Publishing. (2023). Perimenopause: Rocky road to menopause. Harvard Health
- Mayo Clinic. (2023). Perimenopause: Symptoms & causes. Mayo Clinic
- Chandrasekhar, K., et al. (2012). Safety and efficacy of ashwagandha root extract in reducing stress and inflammation. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 34(3), 255–262. PubMed
- Boyle, N. B., et al. (2017). Effects of magnesium supplementation on stress and inflammation. Nutrients, 9(5), 429. PMC5452159
- Sousa, A., et al. (2017). Neuroprotective and anti-fatigue effects of Rhodiola rosea. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8, 465. PubMed
- Stough, C., et al. (2008). Bacopa monniera on cognitive function and inflammation markers. Psychopharmacology, 200(4), 539–545. PubMed
Nagano, M., et al. (2010). Nerve growth factor activity from Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane). Biomedical Research, 31(4), 231–237. PubMed