We often notice the effect of aging with aches and pains creeping into our joints. What is really happening to our bodies, and why is it that joints often become increasingly stiff and painful as we grow older?

What are the types of joints and what do they do?

The adult human has 206 bones connected by joints that either provide movement or bind the bones together. Joints can be divided into three types by their structure: fibrous, cartilage and freely moving or synovial joints. Freely moving joints are the most common and include hinge joints (finger and toes), swivel joints (elbows) and ball joints (shoulder and hip joints).

Our joints move when a muscle pulls on a different bone and this is controlled by our nervous system.

Menopausal joint stiffness

Menopausal women may experience aching or stiff joints and this can be caused by several different factors.

Oestrogen plays an important role in maintaining our joint’s connective tissue and lubrication. As the level of this hormone falls during the menopause it can negatively affect the maintenance of the joint. Knees and shoulders, for example, may feel increasingly stiff as the ligaments lose elasticity due to a lack of lubrication.

As a result, menopause can often aggravate the joint tissues which cause irritating aches and pains, which is made worse as oestrogen also helps to prevent such inflammation.

Arthritis pain can also occur in the fingers, pelvis and back. In most cases, this goes away without treatment, but it can afflict some people for many years.

Menopausal women also suffer from an increased risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and urinary tract infections. Bone loss can be mitigated by taking the medically recommended amount of vitamin D and calcium from cod liver oil and milk, combined with regular exercise to strengthen the skeleton.

Aging and rigid joints

It is not only menopausal women who suffer from an increased risk of painful joints – stiffness and weaker muscles can also affect both men and women over the age of 50. In some cases, this can start even earlier.

As we age, we may experience painful stiffness or other irritations in the joints. Aside from normal aging processes, these can include conditions resulting from injuries or disease in the neck, back, muscles, joints, tendons or nerves. In many cases, no particular cause of the pain can be detected.

For example, our vertebrae are joined by lateral and facet joints. Like many of our joints, these are connected by cartilage which suffers from wear and tear over our lifetime. This leads to cartilage calcification where the damaged tissue is replaced unevenly by calcium deposits. This triggers osteoarthritis which inflicts stiffness and pain as we move and stretch. As we age, changes in our spine and other joints or bones can result in reduced body height, loss of flexibility and changes in our posture.

Osteoarthritis affects approx. 10-20% of 60-year olds and is detected in approx. 50% of all 65-year olds. Developing osteoarthritis and osteoporosis can increase the risk of fractures from falls with hip and knee joints being particularly susceptible. Even simple movements can cause discomfort and walking may become more and more difficult. Arthritis can also painfully flare up in the finger, thumb and toe joints.

A lack of vitamin D can also aggravate stiff joints. It is recommended that you take the required amount of vitamin D as it helps maintain normal bone structure and supports the immune system.