Stop losing muscle and prevent pain during menopause

The Sword summary warm-up

Don’t have time for the full workout? We’ve got you covered with a quick, high-intensity session. Here are the key takeaways:

• Many women experience new muscle aches, stiffness, or fatigue during menopause as hormonal changes influence strength, recovery, and flexibility.
• These shifts are common and manageable as your body is adapting to a new rhythm, and with consistent movement and care, you can stay strong and comfortable.
• Sword's Move program provides expert-guided AI-Care to help women build strength, prevent muscle loss, and reduce discomfort with personalized guidance from the comfort of home.

Why muscle pain and weakness can increase during menopause

Feeling achy or stiff during menopause is more common than most women expect. As estrogen levels fluctuate and eventually decline, the muscles, tendons, and connective tissues that support the body undergo subtle changes that can influence strength and comfort¹. These changes can feel discouraging at first, but they are a normal response to hormonal shifts that influence how muscles and connective tissues behave.

• Estrogen helps regulate muscle repair, circulation, inflammation, and collagen production¹
• Collagen keeps tissues flexible and resilient, while estrogen also supports muscle metabolism and recovery
• As estrogen levels decline during menopause, muscles may feel less elastic, take longer to recover after activity, and become more sensitive to periods of rest, stress, or inactivity².

These sensations can show up in many ways. You may notice soreness after exercise, tightness in the back or hips, or heaviness in the legs during daily activities. While these symptoms can feel uncomfortable, they are not a sign that your body is failing. They are signals that your muscles are recalibrating during a time of natural hormonal transition.

You don’t have to accept pain or muscle aches during menopause. Your body is still capable of strength, flexibility, and energy. With the right support and habits, you can stay active and reduce discomfort as your body moves through this stage.

How menopause-related muscle loss happens

Muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, occurs naturally with age, but the rate accelerates during menopause. Studies show that women can lose up to 10% of their muscle mass within the first five years after menopause if they do not engage in regular strength or resistance activity³.

Estrogen plays a role in protecting lean mass and bone density. As levels decline, muscle fibers can shrink and metabolic rate slows, making it easier to lose strength and gain fatigue. Reduced physical activity and increased inflammation during midlife can also contribute to this pattern⁴.

Muscles do far more than move the body. They stabilize posture, support metabolism, and help protect the pelvic floor. When muscle tone weakens, it can create a ripple effect across the core, hips, and pelvis, leading to discomfort, reduced balance, and even pelvic floor dysfunction.

Thankfully, muscle tissue remains responsive throughout life. Simple, consistent movement and nutritional support can prevent muscle loss and rebuild strength at any age.

How to relieve and prevent muscle pain in menopause  

You do not need an intense workout routine to support your muscles during menopause. In fact, gentle, consistent habits are often more effective and sustainable than high-intensity programs. Below are a few evidence-backed ways to stay strong and comfortable during menopause to keep muscle pain away:

1. Move a little, every day

Regular, moderate activity helps circulate nutrients to your muscles and joints while keeping tissues supple. Try:

• Walking, swimming, or cycling for 20–30 minutes most days
• Gentle stretching in the morning or before bed
• Yoga or Pilates for mobility and flexibility

Movement reduces stiffness, improves energy, and helps manage inflammation⁵. Even light activity sends signals to your muscles to maintain tone and coordination.

2. Add strength training to your routine

Strength and resistance exercises help preserve lean mass and bone density. Focus on bodyweight movements like squats, bridges, or wall pushups. Using resistance bands is a helpful starting point, and allows you to get moving easily from the comfort of home, without the need to purchase more bulky equipment or travel to a gym. Start with low resistance and increase gradually.

If you are new to strength training, a guided program like Move offers one-on-one support from a Physical Health Specialist to help you build strength safely.

3. Support recovery with rest and good nutrition

Recovery is where your muscles rebuild. Getting 7–9 hours of sleep per night allows your body to repair and regulate hormones⁶.

Nutrients that support muscle health include:

• Protein: Builds and repairs tissue (found in eggs, beans, fish, and tofu).
• Calcium and vitamin D: Protect bone strength and muscle function.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Reduce inflammation and muscle soreness.

If it is hard to meet these needs through food alone, discuss supplements with your clinician.

4. Stay hydrated

Dehydration can make muscles feel tight and increase fatigue. Drink water consistently throughout the day, especially after physical activity or if you experience hot flashes or night sweats⁷.

5. Practice gentle flexibility and breathing exercises

Mindful stretching, light yoga, or deep breathing can help calm the nervous system and reduce muscle tension. These practices support circulation and recovery, and they can ease both physical and mental stress.

Move helps women stay strong through menopause

Once you understand why muscle discomfort and fatigue can appear during menopause, the next step is finding support that helps you stay active without strain or overwhelm. Many women know that movement is important, but menopause can make it harder to know where to start. This is where Move can help.

Move is a personalized program designed to help you improve your whole-body health. Move helps women in menopause to reduce pain, prevent injury, and develop strength through regular movement and exercise.

What can you expect from your personalized Move program?

Move supports people of all ages who want to stay active, improve comfort, prevent injury, or build a healthier movement routine. For women in menopause, Move offers structure and confidence during a time when hormonal shifts can affect recovery, flexibility, and strength.

Every member works one-on-one with a Physical Health Specialist, all of whom hold Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees. Your specialist learns about your symptoms, lifestyle, and goals, then designs a personalized plan to support strength, mobility, balance, and joint health. Move includes a wearable motion sensor called the Move Wearable, which provides real-time feedback to help you understand your movement and stay on track.

Move is designed to be simple, flexible, and easy to use. There is no equipment needed, no travel, and no pressure for high-intensity workouts. You move at your pace, with guidance tailored specifically to your comfort and goals.

Move is the strength program you need during menopause

Move works because it helps women stay consistent with the types of movement that support midlife health. Regular strength and mobility practice signals muscles to stay active, supports joint function, and improves balance and energy. Move helps women:

• build strength that protects joints and reduces soreness
• improve posture and balance to prevent injuries
• increase daily movement to reduce stiffness
• feel more confident and steady in their bodies

Move outcomes show meaningful improvements in comfort and overall well-being. Among all Move members:

• 67 percent report feeling better or much better overall⁸
• 74 percent report improvement in self-rated health quality⁸
• 49 percent show reduced risk for developing anxiety disorders⁸

These improvements reflect how effective consistent movement and personalized support can be during menopause.

How to take your next step and prevent pain with Move

If your body has been feeling sore, stiff, or less strong than it used to, you are not alone. These experiences are common during menopause and often improve with consistent, guided support.

Move provides a simple way to stay active without complicated routines or long workouts. With help from a Physical Health Specialist and real-time feedback from the Move Wearable, you can rebuild strength, prevent muscle loss, and feel more steady and confident as your body changes.

Many employers and health plans offer Move as a covered benefit. Check your eligibility (it only takes a moment), and you might already have coverage in your plan at $0 cost to you.