It is not lost on me how my social media feeds and algorithms are entirely focused on midlife topics, a majority of the memes being along the lines of how my back and my mind are not the same age. This week, I was eager to finally get back out and run after the chaos of early fall. I don't love running, but throughout my adult life, it has been the easiest, least expensive, and fastest way to move my body outdoors. Within a few minutes of being on the road, my knee started to tweak, and before long, I was hobbling along, finally understanding why so many older women just speed-walk. While trying to speed-walk, I found myself so angry and frustrated with my body.
Ever since turning the 5-0 corner this summer, I have had persistent issues with multiple joints, shoulder, hip, and now knee, not to mention the subtle shin splints from this short, so-called running effort. I don't know if this is because I have always been generally active or because I moved out of New York City last year and began to walk less, replacing those 10K steps with driving. Regardless, I was at my wit's end last night when, after several hours in the car, my neck decided to tweak out before bed.
In our twenties and thirties, most of us don't think much about our joints. Then one day, you realize simple movements—getting up from a chair or bending down—don't feel quite the same. And you can not not think about it. The knees are stiff, the hips ache after a walk, and there's always some shoulder pain lurking. Joint discomfort becomes a regular unwanted companion. A few of my friends have even turned to surgery after dealing with chronic pain: torn hip joints, a torn meniscus, or a rotator cuff injury. Conversations with them have shifted from "How do we stay active?" to "How long can we delay surgery?" and "Who has time to recover?!!"
But here's the thing—it doesn't have to be this way. As we age, the health of our joints, especially the weight-bearing ones like knees and hips, becomes more critical. Osteoarthritis often starts as a bit of stiffness but can lead to much more. We've all likely experienced knee aches in the morning or discomfort during long meetings. Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage that cushions our joints starts to wear down, leading to friction, pain, and stiffness. While we can't completely stop this process, there's a lot we can do to slow it down (read; it takes work:/)
One of the most powerful tools for protecting our joints is movement, but the right kind of movement. High-impact activities are no longer my friend; they do more harm than good. The shift to low-impact activities, like swimming, yoga, or cycling, is a necessary mindset change. It's hard to recognize the changes in your body; it really does feel like it's rebelling against you. But these exercises strengthen the muscles around joints without adding stress. After a year of hip aches, a physical therapist once told me, "If you strengthen the muscles around your joints, you create natural support for them." And she was right.
And then there's perimenopause, the ultimate kicker. One wild joint issue we don't hear about until we do is a frozen shoulder, where the shoulder becomes stiff and loses its range of motion. It's painful and, frustratingly, more common during menopause. A friend of mine described it as if her shoulder was stuck. She had no idea hormonal changes were a trigger until her doctor explained it. The drop in estrogen can leave us feeling stiffer and less flexible than ever, which is something I didn't realize the frozen shoulder episode of one friend, and then another, and another. Explaining how menopause changes our bodies—not just in the obvious ways, but in those minor, persistent aches and pains.
Knowing the link between hormones and joint health has been revelatory. And the conversation regarding menopause is almost everywhere we turn now, thankfully. So, it's a conversation worth having with your doctor. Whether it's considering hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or simply being mindful of what's happening in your body.
Diet also plays a surprisingly big role in joint health. After months of stiffness, I learned this the hard way, only to realize that my diet was full of inflammatory foods (and adult beverages). By shifting to a more anti-inflammatory approach, like adding omega-3-rich foods such as salmon and leafy greens, there has been steady improvement. There is a clear, direct correlation. Additionally, supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin can be helpful in supporting cartilage repair and reducing pain.
Of course, injuries can still happen even with all these efforts, especially as we get older. I've become much more mindful of how I move—whether bending down to pick something up or lifting a heavy bag (hearing my father tell me, “Lift with your legs, not with your back!”). Minor adjustments, like better posture can make a huge difference. And if injury does happen, physical therapy can be a great resource. After a shoulder injury, working with a therapist helped me regain my range of motion much faster than I expected. But again, that pain has become a bit more chronic.
In the meantime, keeping the conversation going and sharing resources, tips, and tricks with one another definitely helps. Commiserating also helps.
In November, I head to a week-long somatic movement retreat. Wish my body luck.
♥️ Ali, Forty Fifty
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