weak and whafty

[partialsoup]

Help i feel like I've dropped off a cliff with my latest menopause symptoms. I'm post MP 56 lazy and feel like I'm getting weaker and weaker. my ankles are stiff my knees are stiff i feel like I'm always loosing my balance and my legs feel weak. my energy levels have dropped off a cliff. I feel OLD. any suggestions for exercises, exercise equipment or anything to get my energy back.not on HRT thanks

Following with interest as I also have 'balance' issues and a fear I might fall. I've been doing weights and squats for a few months and notice more tone in my thighs but not arms, I think I need a couple of sessions with a PT to find out exactly what helps.

Pilates. If you've never done it before, try and vet some 1:1 sessions first so you learn how to properly engage your core during various exercises. Sorted out all my weak points and balance issues.

Yoga is great but you can overstretch and don't always engage muscles in the right way, especially in group classes.

Make sure your instructor has decent pilages qualifications too.

Ive noticed these balance issues in the last few months. someone at works wife has the same issues and has fallen down a couple of times. i really want yo try to.do something about this before I do the same

thanks

Yoga
Pilates
Tai Chi
'Dance fit' classes (lots of towns do them.)
Brisk walking and incorporating hills if you can.

You need to do weight training. The mantra is "strength and balance", weak muscles are a huge factor in falls. I'm 56 and I weight train twice a weak in a small women only group. Oldest member is in her late 70s. You see tthe difference within a few weeks 😊

also the menopause never ends - the loss of oestrogen is permanent so technically there's no such thing as post menopause, you're just in menopause for the rest of your life. Sucks but there it is

Agree, weight training and you need to look at your protein intake across the day to accompany it.

old age brings sarcopenia which means it’s harder to build and maintain muscle. By all means do Pilates and dancing is always good for coordination and agility but you need to actively build strength too. It’s also important for bone density

Have a look at Vonda Wright / Stacy sims. (Vonda is more accessible) she’s an orthopaedic surgeon. This video describes her ideal exercise. I think her book has the main exercises in.

The bonus is that it improves cognition too

Pilates and weight training have really helped me. But have to do it regularly. My strength and fitness dropped off a cliff in late 40s and early 50s, I’d stopped everything except walking the dog and the odd Pilates class and was knackered fat no energy and just managing to work full time. I was eyeing the slightly difficult steps up from our driveway with suspicion and going the long way round.

started a weights class 3 times a week and committed to Pilates once a week (proper Pilates). I am so much stronger, bound up the difficult steps with bags of shopping, take the stairs at work, averaging 17k steps a day. It’s been brilliant. Lost a stone and a half, still got a stone to go mind.

Where do i start with weights, just sign up.to a gym????

Some gyms do weight sessions specifically targeted at older women :) have a google around your area and see what's there

the gym I go to is tiny and only for women (it's just a room that fits 8 ppl at most) and has a range of kettle bells, dumb bells and a few other bits. We work though a session together and you start as light as you need too :) progression can be amazing! I've been doing it for about 3 months and have gone from deadlifting 8kg to 18kg.

This is what I need to do too, but am a bit wary of just going in there myself and muddling through and possibly getting an injury. A session with a PT who knows exactly what helps in meno would be ideal, or a specific women-only class as pp mentioned above.
I am not even overweight by BMI measures, but have very soft fat on stomach/backs of thighs/underside of arms, which I suspect is muscle loss related to age and lack of testosterone. If I could get rid of it I'd be very happy.

There is often a GP referral scheme at gyms now. You get a referral from your GP onto a specific scheme, then a pt at the gym comes up with a programme for you, then the gym runs a twice a week sessions specifically for people on the programme.

My mum's been doing it for a while and had great effect.

Pilates is the one for balance though, its a really core part of pilates.

Weights are good but just to caution that if you've had children/ vaginal delivery bear in mind your pelvic floor which heads south anyway post menopause due to loss of estrogen and needs PF exercises to keep it strong!

Sadly there are women who start weight lifting, low squats etc and the next thing they know is they have prolapse and are heading for surgery.

Even some Pilates exercises are harmful.

There's a OZ physio, Michelle Kenway who has a website and videos on safe exercising and which Pilates exercises to avoid.

I had surgery in my late 30s and was advised never to do some of the weights/ exercises that everyone sees on Youtube. Yes, I do some, but lower weights, seated or lying.

It's something that many of these Youtube exercise gurus never mention.

Leg weakness, balance problems and feeling like you’re rapidly getting weaker are not normal signs of menopause or aging. Have you had these symptoms checked? It could be something else.

100% that @JinglingSpringbells which is what's making me wary!
A PT needs to be aware that older women have these specific issues and can't just go in lifting weights like a man or younger woman.

I agree.

OP, I'm the same age as you and I'd be very alarmed if I had sudden onset balance issues and limb weakness. They doing like the sort of issues you could expect in your 80s and even then the suddeness is worrying.

If I were you I'd see a Dr.

@partialsoup I've come back to this with another suggestion.

Basically I think you should see a doctor. Your symptoms may be general lack of fitness, but the weakness - if that is what it is- could also be caused by other things - neurological conditions - Parkinson's or MS. These need ruling out.

Stiff joints can be caused by loss of estrogen- arthritis.
But falling over ?

It depends on so many things.
Are you very overweight?
Are you very unfit? Can you walk for a mile (should take you 20 minutes if you're walking at 3mph) and feel okay?
Do you take any regular exercise- like 30 mins a day brisk walking?
Are you falling over when you're trying to balance, coming down steps or stairs, or for no reason?

If your balance is that bad perhaps do see a gp first.

After that, The general recommendation seems to be to see a good physio who could check a few postural things and give a programme of exercises that might be needed to strengthen areas before you start doing any proper work. That’s also why Pilates may be helpful as a first step.

Have you had your iron checked?

The nhs website has very simple starter things you can do at home.

but do see gp and physio first

Placemarking

Agree with PP and @JinglingSpringbells start slowly.

I was feeling like you. Creaky, old.
i started off with Pilates and walking.
as my core strength and posture improved I added intense cardio and am now lifting. There’s no way I could have lifted safely without the balance and stability (and basic strength) that the Pilates gave me. I do reformer but mat is good too (different). It built my confidence too.