Reduce your risk of pain with this easy-but-effective routine
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Sore knees when taking the stairs? Niggling hip pain keeping you awake? It isn’t just ageing that’s to blame. Oestrogen, which helps protect joints and reduce inflammation, drops during the menopause, which can lead to stiffness, aches and discomfort. Luckily, a workout can make a difference.
‘Targeting your hamstrings, quads, glutes, hip adductors and calves will help to strengthen your muscles, which will help shift pressure from joints and reduce damage,’ says fitness coach Suzy Alvarez. Our exercises below will do just that, so you can keep doing the things you enjoy.
YOUR SIX MOVES
Aim for five reps of each exercise, and repeat three times
1 HEEL RAISE
Place your heels together with your toes pointing out and squeeze your inner thighs together. Raise heels up so you’re standing on the balls of your feet, then lower back down softly.
TOP TIP: Imagine you’ve got a strip of Velcro underneath your foot that you’re peeling off the floor from heel to toe with each step.
2 FORWARD LUNGE
From a standing position, take a big step forward with one leg and lower your body down slowly so that your front leg is bent at a 90-degree angle. Raise yourself up and return your leg to the starting position. Switch sides and repeat to complete a rep.
3 SIDE PLANK
Lie on your side on a mat, then prop your body up so you’re resting on your palm – your arm should be at right angles to your body. Straighten out your legs and place one foot on top of the other. Hold for 10-30 seconds and
