Menopause & Shoulders

If you’re going through perimenopause or menopause and suddenly your shoulders hurt, feel stiff, or just don’t move like they used to... you’re not imagining it. For many women, shoulder pain shows up out of nowhere in their 40s and 50s. It might start as an ache when you reach overhead, struggle to do up your bra, or feel tight after sleeping. For some, it progresses into something more serious, like frozen shoulder.

The good news? There are clear reasons this happens and even better, there are things you can do to protect your shoulders and keep them strong.

Shoulder Pain Is More Common Than You Think

Shoulder pain is one of the most common joint issues in adults. Around 1 in 4 people will experience shoulder pain at some point, and the risk increases as we age.

What’s important to understand is that many shoulder injuries don’t happen because of one big incident. They often develop slowly due to:

• Muscle weakness

• Poor joint support

• Repetitive movements

• Reduced tissue quality over time

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This is where menopause comes in.

What Hormones Have to Do With Your Shoulders

Estrogen isn’t just about periods and reproduction. It plays a role in keeping your joints, tendons, and connective tissue healthy.

As estrogen levels drop during perimenopause and menopause:

• Tendons and ligaments become less elastic

• Collagen (the protein that keeps tissues strong and flexible) declines

• Inflammation increases

• Joint lubrication decreases

Put simply, your joints can become stiffer, drier, and more easily irritated.

This hormonal shift helps explain why women are more likely to develop certain shoulder conditions during midlife, even if they’ve never had shoulder problems before.

Frozen Shoulder: A Lesser-Known Menopause Symptom

Frozen shoulder (also called adhesive capsulitis) is one of the most misunderstood menopause related conditions.

It affects about 2–5% of the population, with a slight lean towards women aged 40 - 60 (right in the menopause window). Keep in mind that research is still in it's early days and we should all expect these percentages to sadly rise.

Frozen shoulder usually develops gradually and has three stages:

1. Pain phase – aching and sharp pain with movement

2. Stiffness phase – shoulder movement becomes very limited

3. Thawing phase – slow improvement over time

Everyday tasks like reaching overhead, washing your hair, or reaching behind your back can become extremely difficult.

Research suggests estrogen may have a protective effect on shoulder tissues, and lower hormone levels appear to increase the risk of frozen shoulder. This is why it’s being increasingly recognised as a menopause-related issue even though it’s rarely talked about.

Why Elbow Pain Can Show Up Too

Shoulder pain doesn’t always come alone. Many women also notice elbow pain during menopause, often diagnosed as “tennis elbow”, even if they’ve never picked up a racquet.

This happens for similar reasons:

• Tendons become less resilient

• Recovery slows

• Small repetitive loads start to irritate tissue more easily

The shoulder, elbow, and wrist all work together. If one area becomes weaker or stiffer, others often pick up the slack and that’s when pain shows up.

Why Weight Training Is So Important

One of the most effective ways to protect your shoulders during menopause is strength training. This isn’t about lifting heavy for the sake of it. It’s about giving your joints the support they need.

Here’s why it works:

1. Strong Muscles Protect Joints

The shoulder is a very mobile joint, which makes it vulnerable. Strong muscles around the shoulder blade, upper back, and rotator cuff help stabilise the joint and reduce strain.

2. Strength Training Improves Tissue Quality

Loading muscles and tendons helps:

• Maintain collagen

• Improve tendon strength

• Reduce joint stiffness over time

Without resistance training, muscle mass naturally declines during menopause, which leaves joints less supported.

3. It Reduces Pain (Not Increases It)

When done properly, strength training can reduce chronic joint pain by improving how your body moves and distributes load.

Many women avoid weights because they’re afraid of injury — but avoiding strength work often increases the risk of pain and stiffness long-term.

The Key Is Smart Training, Not More Training

More is not better. Better is better.

To keep your shoulders healthy:

• Start light and build gradually

• Focus on good technique

• Strengthen the upper back and shoulder blades

• Include full-range movements

• Avoid pushing through sharp pain

Don’t Ignore Early Signs

One of the biggest mistakes women make is ignoring shoulder pain and hoping it will “just go away.” If pain lasts more than a few weeks, worsens at night, or limits movement, it’s worth getting checked early. Early action can prevent long-term stiffness and months (or years) of frustration.

Your Takeaway

Menopause can affect your shoulders in real, physical ways but pain is not something you have to accept.

✔ Hormonal changes can increase stiffness and injury risk

✔ Frozen shoulder is more common in midlife women than most realise

✔ Elbow pain often comes from the same underlying changes

✔ Strength training is one of the best tools for prevention and recovery

Your shoulders are designed to be strong, mobile, and resilient, even through menopause. With the right training and support, they can stay that way.