Achy Anna - Just Jill

What is happening to me? I wake up and can barely get out of bed because my body aches so much. Don’t get me started on walking downstairs. If my coffee machine weren’t on my main floor, I might never leave my second floor. I feel like I am one hundred years old, yet I’m only fifty-five!

After about an hour, stairs are no longer the devil. Thankfully, this does not affect my Rambling. The more I move, the better I feel.

Don’t ask me to pick something up off the ground. Bending down is a workout in itself. My body just does not want to move that way anymore. Again, the sound effects rear their ugly head.

What I don’t understand is why I can walk upwards of ten miles a day or play pickleball for three hours straight, but getting up off a chair or picking up a piece of paper from the ground is beyond daunting.

Is this age? Is this menopause? Have any Sole Sisters experienced this? How have you coped?

What’s a gal to do?

Sincerely,

Achy Anna

Sole Sister Advice & Comments 

• This could indeed be a menopausal symptom. However, it could also be about how you use your body regularly. Activities like walking and playing pickleball use various muscle groups in particular ways, but do not work others! Bending over and squatting to sit or stand from a chair work muscle groups in a way that walking does not, and you need to repeat that action regularly to maintain it.
  
  There’s a reason that cultures which do not use regular chairs and toilets and which do exercise daily (such as tai chi) are posturally less restricted in old age. The old ”use it or lose it” adage is true.
  
  
• I would recommend yoga, Pilates, resistance training, or similar on a regular basis. It honestly really does help!!!
  
  
• I only have advice from my doctor, and she says keep moving. 
  
  
• Turmeric will help. It is a godsend for me!
  
  
• Joint aches can also be a symptom of an autoimmune disease. It might ease up as you exercise, but I think you should tell your doctor.
  
  
• Be careful with nightshade vegetables. I have arthritis in my right hand, right hip, and foot. I feel your pain. I sit on the side of my bed every morning and have to stretch my ankles and legs before I apply any body weight pressure. Stretching for me is my saving grace. I do yoga, wall pilates, etc. Check with your doctor always.
  
  
• This is absolutely a perimenopause symptom, and it is worth discussing with your doctor. However, if they even suspect autoimmune, it’s always some kind of prescription, or HRT. It really depends if you’re looking for pharmaceutical solutions or natural solutions. Lots of great natural solutions have already been listed above.
  
  
• I make a golden milk paste that can be drunk warm or cold in my house, with turmeric, ginger, and a bunch of other things. I worked on my gut health, which supports my mental, emotional, and physical health. Sometimes it’s as simple as having a tissue salt, magnesium, calcium, and potassium (Tri-salt, inexpensive and available at iHerb). Also, recognizing which foods are inflammatory for your system is key. No sense in continuing to eat inflammatory foods and then trying to mitigate them with medication.
  
  
• Motion is lotion - swimming, stretching, cycling are great, plus check out pilates, yoga, bungee workouts to keep up core strength. Avoid inflammatory foods. I have found Foamaderm to be a great product if you can find it, as an effective delivery of Diclofenac to grouchy joints and muscles.
  
  
• We are supposed to drink half of our weight in ounces of water. It is tough, but wow, life-changing. In my experience, reduce sugar and inflammatory foods. Glucosamine is also great, and keep moving, do not stop bending and stretching, etc. I started doing 10-15 mins of yoga before bed, which helped with morning aches.
  
  
• We are designed to move, not sit, lie around, or be in one position too long. Could be muscle weakness, tightness, or overuse of certain muscle groups. Menopause has so many symptoms, not just the hot flashes and insomnia. Ask to see an endocrinologist to rule out osteo or hormone issues. It's good that your body feels better with movement!
  
  
• After your walks and pickleball, you could add 5 to 10 minutes of gentle stretches while your body is still warm. Stretching after every workout will help. Breaking up your sedentary time would be beneficial, too. Can you try standing up and moving a couple of times during your long Canasta sessions? Sitting is the enemy, I find! I used to get so achy and eventually figured out that dairy, sadly, is no longer my friend. After cutting it out, my aches really subsided. Maybe a particular food you are eating is causing some inflammation and exacerbating your aches. I also try and go for a deep tissue massage with a good RMT when I can.

We look forward to hearing your advice in the comments!

Happy Rambling!

SSR doesn't endorse the advice or content shared in this column. Our goal is to access the wisdom of our incredible Sole Sisters.

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