Menopause gets painted with a pretty dirty brush. Hot flushes, mood changes, vaginal dryness, weight gain, pelvic floor dysfunction and incontinence, joint pain, muscle weakness, sleep disturbance, loss of libido. So what to do? Is there a safe path through the mess that can be perimenopause?

Menopause has a known and generally negative impact on overall muscle and bone health. It is associated with osteoporosis (bones become weaker and brittle), osteoarthritis (degeneration of joints leading to pain, inflammation and stiffness) and sarcopenia (think muscle wasting or thinning and loss of muscle function. Sarcopenia can happen regardless of your weight or size too. All of these issues are contributed to by the primary driver of menopause – loss of the hormone oestrogen. Poor musculoskeletal health can progress to frailty and an increased risk of falls and fractures which in turn is associated with increased risk of death and other disease.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic, degenerative joint condition that predominantly affects the knees, hips, spine and feet. It is the most common form of arthritis affecting 1 in every 11 Australians, and it is more common in women than men. Whilst it can develop at any age, it mostly occurs in people aged over 40 years or those who have had previous joint injuries. Symptoms of osteoarthritis can be severe and have a significant impact on daily function and overall well- being.