Is Qigong Good for Joint Pain During Perimenopause?
Joint pain is a surprisingly common perimenopause symptom. Find out how qigong's gentle movements lubricate joints, reduce inflammation, and ease daily stiffness.
Why Joints Hurt More in Perimenopause
Joint pain and stiffness often catch women off guard during perimenopause. Many assume it is simply ageing, but oestrogen plays an important role in joint health. It helps maintain cartilage, reduces inflammation, and supports the connective tissue surrounding joints. As oestrogen declines, joints can become more inflamed, stiffer, and more prone to aching, particularly in the hands, knees, hips, and spine. Understanding that this is a hormonal issue, not just wear and tear, opens up targeted approaches to managing it.
How Qigong Eases Joint Pain
Qigong is one of the most joint-friendly forms of movement available. The flowing, low-impact sequences take the major joints through their full range of motion without loading them with high-impact force. This helps distribute synovial fluid throughout the joint, which acts as natural lubrication and reduces stiffness. Over time, regular qigong practice can improve joint mobility, reduce morning stiffness, and lower the background ache that many perimenopausal women experience. It also reduces systemic inflammation through its stress-lowering effect.
Specific Movements That Help
Many qigong forms include slow circular movements of the wrists, shoulders, hips, and knees. These gentle rotation patterns are particularly useful for joint health. You do not need to push into discomfort. The intention is ease and fluidity, not stretch or strain. Beginner qigong programmes focused on joint health or flexibility are widely available online and are often suitable for women who cannot manage higher-impact exercise. Even five minutes of gentle joint circles with coordinated breathing can noticeably reduce stiffness.
Reducing Inflammation Through the Whole Practice
Chronic low-grade inflammation underlies much of the joint pain in perimenopause. Qigong reduces inflammation in several ways. It lowers cortisol, which drives inflammatory pathways when elevated for too long. The deep, slow breathing increases oxygenation and supports tissue recovery. Some research also points to positive changes in inflammatory markers like interleukin-6 in regular mind-body practitioners. While qigong is not a cure for inflammatory arthritis, it can meaningfully reduce the inflammation that worsens day-to-day joint pain.
Adapting for Difficult Days
On days when joints are particularly painful, you do not need to skip your practice entirely. Seated or standing qigong with minimal range of motion is still effective. The breathing and mental focus components alone provide benefit. Many women find that gently moving through a short routine actually reduces their pain compared to staying still, which allows stiffness to build. Listen to your body and modify freely. Qigong is not a practice where pushing harder is better.
Working With Your Healthcare Team
If your joint pain is severe or worsening, it is worth discussing with your GP to rule out conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, which can appear or flare during perimenopause. For most women, however, perimenopausal joint pain responds well to a combination of gentle movement, an anti-inflammatory diet, good hydration, and stress management. Qigong addresses several of these simultaneously. Tracking your joint pain scores on days you practise versus days you do not can help you build an evidence base for what is working in your specific situation.
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