Everyday care

Achy joints and muscles around menopause: what can I do?

By VISTRA Editorial Team · 8 min read

Published 10 Nov 2026 · Updated 10 Nov 2026

Aching joints and muscles are among the symptoms Thai women report most around menopause: 84.5% of 148 women in one Bangkok survey. The NHS suggests regular activity, resting a sore joint briefly, and seeing a doctor if pain has not improved after 2 weeks, gets worse or disturbs sleep.

If your joints and muscles have started to ache in your late 40s or 50s, you are far from alone: in Thai studies, aching joints and muscles are among the complaints women report most around menopause. In a 2005 survey of 148 women at Siriraj Hospital, it was the most common symptom of all, at 84.5%. The NHS suggests keeping up regular activity, which for adults means at least 150 minutes a week plus strengthening activities on 2 days, resting a sore joint for a while without stopping moving it altogether, and seeing a doctor if the pain has not improved after 2 weeks of looking after it at home, keeps getting worse or affects your sleep.

This article is about everyday aches in the menopause years. For stiff fingers in the morning or knees that hurt on the stairs, see Stiff fingers on waking, sore knees after new exercise: why? and Knees hurt on stairs at 50? How should you look after them?

How common are achy joints and muscles for Thai women around menopause?

What Thai studies found

Several Thai studies have asked women in their 40s, 50s and early 60s which symptoms they have. Aching joints and muscles come near the top in almost all of them.

Study	Who took part	What they found
Chaopotong and colleagues, Siriraj Hospital (survey in 2005)	148 women who had reached menopause naturally, attending health seminars in Bangkok	Muscle and joint pain was the most common symptom (84.5%) and the one most often rated severe (23.0%)
Pongsatha and colleagues, Chiang Mai University (survey in 2002)	575 nurses and practical nurses aged 40 to 60 at a Chiang Mai hospital; about 6 in 10 still had regular periods	Muscle aches 74.3% (severe 10.6%), the second most common symptom after forgetfulness (84.1%)
Peeyananjarassri and colleagues, Songklanagarind Hospital (published 2006)	270 women aged 45 to 65 at a gynaecology and menopause clinic in Hat Yai	In women going through the change, the most common symptom was aching muscles and joints; hot flushes were reported by 36.8% of all the women
Punyahotra and colleagues (published 1997)	268 women aged 40 to 59 who had accompanied someone to the outpatient department of the Royal Irrigation Hospital	Joint aches and pain were among the symptoms most strongly linked with where women were in the menopause transition, with hot flushes, low mood and trouble sleeping

How to read these numbers

These are fairly old studies, mostly of women who were at a hospital or working in one, and every figure is what women reported themselves. They show how often the complaint comes up rather than how severe it is for women across Thailand. Even so, the pattern is similar in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the south: when Thai women in these years are asked, aches in the joints and muscles are one of the first things they mention, often more than hot flushes. The Chiang Mai team noted that hot flushes were reported less often than in earlier reports.

Quality of life in these years

A study by Vallibhakara and colleagues from Mahidol University surveyed 453 women past menopause in Bangkok and nearby provinces between October 2021 and April 2022. Just over half (55.85%) reported a poor quality of life. Several things went with being in that group, including a lower score on a well-being questionnaire, being less physically active and having more severe menopause symptoms. The survey was taken once, so it shows that these things went together, not that one caused the other.

Why do my joints ache in my late 40s and 50s?

The menopause years are one possible reason

The NHS lists perimenopause and menopause among the possible causes of aching, painful joints, alongside injuries and longer-lasting joint problems. The US National Institute on Aging (NIA) says that around this time your joints and muscles could feel stiff, weak and achy, and that researchers are still exploring how such changes relate to hormone changes and to growing older.

Not every ache comes from the same place

Because joint pain has many possible causes, the NHS advises not to self-diagnose and to see a doctor if you are worried. Aches in these years can also build up from things that change at the same time of life, such as sitting more, sleeping badly, or carrying more of the load at home and at work.

How long it can go on

The NHS says menopause and perimenopause symptoms usually last 7 to 9 years, sometimes longer, and can change along the way. It notes that some symptoms, including joint pain, can continue after periods have stopped. Keeping a simple note of which joints ache and when helps you and your doctor see the pattern.

How should I keep moving when my joints ache?

How much activity to aim for

The NHS physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 recommend the following.

What	How much	Examples
Moderate activity	At least 150 minutes a week, spread over 4 to 5 days or every day	Brisk walking, cycling, dancing, water aerobics
Strengthening activity	At least 2 days a week, working legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms	Exercises using your own body weight, resistance bands, yoga, tai chi, heavy gardening
Less sitting	Break up long periods of sitting or lying down with some activity	Stand up and walk around between tasks

The NHS says to speak to a doctor first if you have not exercised for some time or have health concerns, and to choose activities and an intensity that suit your fitness.

Start small and build up

A brisk 10-minute walk counts towards the 150 minutes, according to the NHS page on walking for health. If you are not very active, increase the distance gradually. If walking is hard on your joints, the NHS suggests looking for exercise classes in a swimming pool, where the water supports your joints while you move.

Strength exercises you can do at home

The NHS has a short set of gentle strength exercises using a sturdy chair without wheels. It suggests doing them at least twice a week and building up slowly.

Exercise	How to do it	How many
Sit-to-stand	Sit on the edge of the chair, lean slightly forward and stand up slowly using your legs, then sit down slowly	5 times, the slower the better
Mini-squats	Hold the back of the chair, feet hip-width apart, bend your knees as far as is comfortable, then come back up	5 times
Calf raises	Hold the back of the chair and lift both heels slowly	5 times
Wall press-up	Stand an arm's length from a wall, hands flat on it, bend your arms slowly and push back	3 sets of 5 to 10

Move only as far as is comfortable.

My joints ache today. What can I do at home?

Look after the sore joint

The NHS suggests these steps for joint pain:

try to rest the affected joint for a while if you can
put an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a towel on the painful area for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
do not stop moving the joint completely
eat a balanced diet and keep up regular activity
do not smoke

About medicines

Ask a pharmacist or doctor which painkiller is suitable before taking one, and tell them about any other medicines or supplements you use.

Sleep and rest

Poor sleep can make the day feel heavier. The US CDC suggests going to bed and getting up at the same time every day and keeping the bedroom quiet, relaxing and cool. If night sweats wake you up, see Menopause night sweats keep me awake. How can I cope?

When should I see a doctor about aching joints around menopause?

Book an appointment

The NHS advises seeing a doctor if:

joint pain is stopping you doing normal activities or affecting your sleep
the pain or swelling is getting worse or keeps coming back
the pain has not improved after looking after it at home for 2 weeks
your joints are stiff for more than 30 minutes after waking up

The NHS menopause pages also suggest contacting a doctor if you think you have menopause or perimenopause symptoms. In Thailand, you can see a doctor at a hospital or clinic.

Get help soon

Ask for an urgent appointment if a painful joint is swollen and the skin around it feels hot, or if you have joint pain and feel generally unwell, have a fever, or feel hot, cold or shivery.

Go to the emergency department straight away

Go straight away if you have very bad joint pain after a fall or injury, cannot walk or put weight on a joint, a joint looks out of place, or you have tingling or no feeling around a joint after an injury.

Before your appointment, note down

which joints and muscles ache, and since when
whether the stiffness is worse in the morning and how long it lasts
other changes, such as your periods, hot flushes or sleep
all medicines and supplements you use

Frequently asked questions

Is it common to have achy joints and muscles around menopause?

Yes. In Thai studies it is one of the most often reported complaints in these years. In a 2005 survey of 148 women at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok who had reached menopause naturally, muscle and joint pain was the most common symptom (84.5%) and also the one most often rated severe (23.0%). The US National Institute on Aging (NIA) says joints and muscles can feel stiff, weak and achy around this time.

Is my joint pain linked to menopause?

It can be one of several possible reasons. The NHS lists perimenopause and menopause among the possible causes of aching, painful joints, alongside injuries and longer-lasting joint problems, and advises not to self-diagnose but to see a doctor if you are worried. The NIA says researchers are still exploring how these body changes relate to hormone changes and to growing older.

How long do menopause-related aches last?

It varies. The NHS says menopause and perimenopause symptoms usually last 7 to 9 years, sometimes longer, and can change during that time. It notes that some symptoms, such as joint pain, can continue after menopause.

My joints ache. Should I stop exercising?

The NHS advises not to stop moving an aching joint completely. Rest it for a while if you can, then keep up regular activity. For adults it recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking, plus strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week. If walking is hard on your joints, it suggests exercise classes in a swimming pool, where the water supports your joints.

What can I do at home when my joints ache?

The NHS suggests resting the joint if you can, putting an ice pack wrapped in a towel on it for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, and asking a pharmacist or doctor which painkiller suits you. Tell them about any other medicines or supplements you use.

When should I see a doctor about joint pain around menopause?

The NHS advises seeing a doctor if joint pain stops your normal activities or affects your sleep, keeps getting worse or keeps coming back, has not improved after 2 weeks of looking after it at home, or if your joints are stiff for more than 30 minutes after waking. Get help urgently if the joint is swollen and hot, or you have a fever or feel shivery.

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