Simple ways to future proof your joints 

Author

Wellbeing Team

8 June, 2026
Simple ways to future proof your joints 

If your joints feel stiffer than they used to, midlife hormone fluctuations might be at play – declining oestrogen can affect connective tissue, joint lubrication and bone health. Liz talks through the supplements and exercises that will help keep joints strong and flexible for longer, and why HRT could make a difference.

Plus: gentle skincare after microneedling, getting the most nutrition from nuts and seeds, mouth-taping for improved sleep quality and can turmeric affect HRT?

Stream the episode below, or download the recording via Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

 

4 ways to keep your joints strong and flexible

Waking up with stiff knees or feeling achy after going for a walk? If your joints are complaining more than normal, you’re not alone. Many women notice more aches and pains in their 40s and 50s, often triggered by the decline in oestrogen during perimenopause and menopause.

Oestrogen plays an important role in maintaining healthy connective tissues, cartilage and joint lubrication, while also helping to regulate inflammation. As levels begin to fall in midlife, it’s common to experience reduced mobility, increased stiffness and more frequent aches and pains.

But it’s not something we simply have to put up with, says Liz. Here are a few simple lifestyle shifts to help keep your joints strong, flexible and comfortable for years to come.

Introduce joint-friendly supplements

Alongside a healthy diet, supplements can play an important supporting role in joint health. “Collagen peptides provide the amino acids glycine and proline, which the body can use as building blocks to support cartilage, ligaments and tendons,” explains Liz.

Other supplements worth considering include glucosamine, which has good evidence for improved knee pain and joint function. Liz also recommends curcumin – the active compound in turmeric – for its anti-inflammatory properties. “When I started to get achy knees, I upped my level of curcumin and found it to be very helpful.”

And let’s not forget omega-3 fatty acids. If your diet doesn’t contain much oily fish, taking an omega-3 supplement may be helpful to support a healthy inflammatory response.

Keep moving for strength and flexibility

When your joints are aching, it can be tempting to stop moving altogether. In reality, exercise is the best medicine, says Liz, who recommends prioritising strength training and mobility work to keep joints active without placing excessive strain on them.

Walking, swimming, cycling, yoga and stretching exercises will help maintain flexibility and support muscle strength, while encouraging healthy joint function. If you’re experiencing pain, make sure you take advice from your GP or physio before hitting the gym.

Consider hormone support

Having an awareness of the role hormones play in joint and bone health can help if you need to initiate an informed discussion of treatment with your GP, says Liz.

In some cases, women can be referred for bone scans and specialist investigations, only to discover that topping up declining oestrogen with body-identical HRT significantly improves their symptoms.

Don’t ignore pain

While hormonal changes can contribute to joint discomfort, it’s important not to dismiss every ache as just another menopause symptom.

Sharp or sudden pain – such as feeling like you’re kneeling on shards of glass – may indicate an injury involving the meniscus, the cushion of cartilage that helps absorb shock within the knee joint, cautions Liz.

If pain persists, worsens, or affects your day-to-day activities, always speak to a GP or physiotherapist. They’ll be able to assess the joint and recommend appropriate treatment and targeted exercises, or refer for a scan if needed.

 

Also in this episode:

  • Do collagen supplements help with achy joints?
  • Skincare tips post-microneedling
  • What’s the best way to add nuts and seeds to my diet?
  • Mouth-breathing is disrupting my sleep
  • Will taking turmeric affect my HRT?

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