Frozen Shoulder & Perimenopause: What we have been seeing at TB
If you’re a woman in your 40s or 50s and you’ve noticed your shoulder slowly becoming stiffer, more painful, and harder to move- you’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not alone.
At Total Balance, we’ve seen a real increase in women presenting with shoulder pain that seems to come from nowhere. No fall, no injury, no obvious trigger. It usually starts subtly with a dull ache, a bit of stiffness when reaching for something on a high shelf, and then, almost without warning, it becomes significant. Lifting the arm becomes painful. Sleep is disrupted by a deep ache that won’t settle. And the kind of pain that has you reaching for paracetamol, only to find it barely touches the surface.
Sound familiar? Let’s talk about why this happens and why perimenopause might be playing a much bigger role than you’d expect.
The Hormone Connection
Most of us know the classic signs of perimenopause: hot flushes, sleep disturbances, and mood changes. These are the visible, talked-about symptoms of declining oestrogen.
But a lot is happening beneath the surface that doesn’t get nearly as much attention, and one of the biggest is the impact on collagen.
As oestrogen drops, so does collagen production throughout the body. And collagen isn’t just about skin elasticity (although that’s part of it too). Collagen plays a critical role in:
- Bone density – something we focus on heavily in our Better Bones classes
- Joint lubrication and the health of tendons and ligaments, the structures that quite literally hold our joints together
Why the Shoulder Cops It
The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, but that mobility comes at a cost. It’s a shallow ball-and-socket joint, meaning it relies far more heavily on the surrounding tendons, ligaments, and capsule for stability than, say, the hip.
When collagen levels drop and joint lubrication declines, the shoulder capsule can become thickened, stiff, and inflamed – leading to the textbook presentation of frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis): a slow onset, progressively worsening pain, night pain that disrupts sleep, and a dramatic loss of range of motion.
It’s not a coincidence that frozen shoulder disproportionately affects women aged 40-60. The timing lines up perfectly with perimenopause and the hormonal shifts happening during this stage of life.
So What Can You Do About It?
This is where we believe in a two-pronged approach.
1. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
For many women, HRT can be a valuable conversation to have with their GP or women’s health specialist. Restoring oestrogen levels can have flow-on effects for collagen production and overall joint health, not to mention the other perimenopausal symptoms it can support.
2. Don’t Forget Collagen — and Movement
While HRT addresses the hormonal side, we believe collagen supplementation alongside the right movement program is just as important. Correct, guided movement keeps the shoulder joint mobile and prevents further stiffening, while collagen supports the structures doing the work.
Our Pick: Thankfully Nourished- Collagen Peptides
We’ve spent time researching collagen products for our Total Balance community, and this brand has stood out by miles. It’s 100% bovine collagen – which means it does have a slightly “meaty” taste (we won’t sugarcoat it!), but the quality makes it well worth it. No added numbers to make it taste great.
My 3 favourite ways to take it:
- Simple — stir into hot water and then add a green tea bag
- Savoury — mixed into bone broth with a spoon of miso paste
- Sweet — in an overnight chia pudding with honey, chia seeds, almond milk, and frozen berries
In stock now at Total Balance. Come chat to our team if you’d like to know more about how it might fit into your routine.