Horrendous aching in muscles after exercise

[RagnarRagnar]

I’m 47 and on Evorel 50 patch and Utrogestan HRT. I consider myself relatively fit and cycle regularly plus some hillwalking and kettle bell exercises.Recently after doing these I am crippled with aching muscles particularly quads and shoulders. So badly I can hardly tackle the stairs or sleep at night. Is this a lack of oestrogen or something else?? Anyone else had this issue?

Do you take vitamin D? If not worth a try.

I used to get this when I first started strength training, and I'm 30. DOMs can be eased with hot baths, massages and making sure you're eating enough protein. It's just a response to micro tears as your muscles grow.

I do take vitamin D. Protein is a good call I do need to keep that up. It’s come out of the blue though which is odd.

Are you doing progressive overload with the kettle bell weights?

I’d guess it’s DOMS and our bodies do change.

Are you doing regular (at least twice a week) mobility drills and even flexibility stretching?

I found once I hit my 40s I had to work really regularly to keep my front splits, and straddle splits got really difficult if I didn’t keep working on them.

What is progressive overload? Sorry. I don’t do specific stretching but do cycle as I say and swim.

I think your doing too much. A gentle brisk walk would be much easier on your joints.
I'm not sure about all this heavy lifting in menopause, most women l know who do this look very strained and unwell.

🤨

I ache after strenuous exercise at 52,In menopause and not on hrt. Perhaps slow down or have more rest days.

I'm a runner, training 50 miles a week with some cycling and walking thrown in the mix. About 18 months ago I suddenly started with intense muscle pain in my legs, turns out it was a symptom of very low ferritin levels. A sustained period of iron tablets resolved it, along with other symptoms I'd put down as general tiredness, hormones, etc.

Sticking my tongue out @LongAndWindingRoads in a friendly way.

whst thry mean is are you increasing weight / reps when doing KB etc.
i am post menopausal on HRT.
I’m working quite hard with a PT son a gradually increasing weights program. I’ve lifted for a few years. Never very heavy really (50kg max at the moment ) but depending on how I work , yes I get DOMS. It peaks after about 24 hours and passes.
I also do cardio ( cycle classes mainly I can’t do impact )
I don’t look “ strained and ill “ - well I did till I stopped work but that was work not the gym 🤣. I look very average and a bit chubby ! ( and younger then my years but I think that’s not smoking !).

weights of some sort are very beneficial especially menopause / post menopause to combat sarcopenia ( loss of muscle bulk ) and particularly for me to try to prevent osteoporosis as I already have osteopenia. Sigh.

DOMS should mostly pass as you settle into regular excercise . Still get it but not the “ can’t get up the stairs “ sort …. If you have a week off it should go completely ( and be worse when you start again 🤣) . If it doesn’t or you have significant morning muscle / joint stiffness speak to your Gp and ask them to look for muscle inflammatory conditions.

and yep. Lots of vitamin d

Or see a PT and get a program sorted with excellent technique to prevent injury and the best combo of stuff for you.
I go to a uni gym and actually it’s interesting that the PTs do work quite often with older people. Even there it’s not just the young and beautiful !

I'm lifting heavy and I look fabulous thanks very much.

Thanks for all the advice. I wonder if DOMS is exacerbated by falling oestrogen levels. Certainly feels like that. I am certainly not aiming for a strained and unwell look. I’m very chubby and strong looking which works for me!!

I'm not sure about all this heavy lifting in menopause, most women l know who do this look very strained and unwell.

I lift heavy and started after menopause, and people always gasp when I tell them my age (I look at least a decade younger).

@RagnarRagnar progressive overload is when you follow a programme - or a pattern of exercise - that increases the load you're lifting progressively - often week by week. But it might also be that you lift, say 5 reps x 5 sets of deadlifts at a bit below your training max one week, then the next week you ascend to go over your training max, and do fewer reps in each set. And so on.

(Training max is the amount you can do in the different lifts - deadlift, squat, bench - any day no matter how strong you're feeling - challenging but not exhausting, IYSWIM)

The other thing you can do is to train to failure. So last week I was doing 54 kilo lat pull downs, and the aim in each set was to do as many as I could manage at a regular tempo, and with good form. 5 sets, with a diminishing number of reps! First set, I could get 11 reps. 2nd set I managed 9 reps, couldn't get the 10th below my chin. And so on.

And you do need to stretch. Some basic stretches of leg muscles, hips, and shoulder girdle, to start you off. Also try foam rolling. Hurts like hell at first but you can tell it loosens you up as you keep doing it.

Oh this is interesting, thanks! I've been experiencing the same and also just been told I have very low ferritin after going a bit bald!!

@RagnarRagnar increasing the weights as soon as you feel comfortable with, so it's always challenging.

Actually just seen some much better definitions by PPs.

🤣

Just spend your days in a comfy chair with a blanket over your knees when you hit 50. Maybe do a bit of light knitting if you’re feeling energetic.

You could have low testosterone?

I know everyone's piling on @LongAndWindingRoads but her thoughts on strength training are just a product of women being told that we're fragile and weak for the last few centuries.

Ancient Roman women used to do weight lifting before entering the bath bit of the Roman baths. Roman doctors knew this helped keep both men and women healthy. Sadly this knowledge seems to have only just been rediscovered.