Women Over 40 Experience Pain Differently, and is Often Misunderstood
May is Women’s Health Month, and at Health in Balance it also marks our 22nd anniversary. After more than two decades of working closely with women in our community, one thing has become clear: women over 40 experience pain differently. Not only in where it shows up, but in how it develops, lingers, and affects daily life. Too often, these changes are dismissed as “just aging,” when in reality they are usually the result of specific, addressable shifts in the body.
During this stage of life, we most commonly see a handful of patterns. Hip pain is one of the most frequent, often felt on the outside of the hip or when lying on one side at night. Knee pain is another, especially noticeable with stairs, squatting, or returning to exercise. Low back pain may present as a constant ache or recurring flare-ups that never fully seem to resolve, or progressively get worse. We also regularly treat neck and shoulder pain, as well as foot pain like plantar fasciitis, which often shows up as that sharp discomfort with the first steps in the morning.
While these symptoms can feel frustrating or even discouraging, they are not random, and they are not simply inevitable. They tend to come from a combination of factors that build over time, such as hormonal changes, gradual muscle loss, previous injuries, and the cumulative demands of work, stress, and daily movement. These shifts change how the body distributes load and recovers, which is why pain patterns often become more noticeable after 40.
What we consistently see is that these issues are less about wear and tear and more about how the body is adapting to life’s demands. For example, hip pain is often influenced by weakness or reduced control in surrounding muscles rather than a problem isolated to the hip itself. Knee pain frequently reflects how well the hips and core are supporting movement. Neck and shoulder tension often builds from long-term posture and stress patterns, not a single injury or moment of strain. Meaning, symptoms are hardly ever localized to just the aching area!
At Health in Balance, our approach is focused on getting to the root of those changes rather than simply chasing symptoms. That typically includes:
Rebuilding strength in the muscles that support daily movement
Restoring mobility where the body has quietly restricted itself over time
Reducing unnecessary strain on joints that are being overloaded
Helping patients move with more confidence and less hesitation
The goal is not just pain relief in the moment, but helping women feel capable and strong in their bodies again; whether that means returning to exercise, keeping up with a busy lifestyle, or simply moving through the day without constant discomfort.
As we celebrate 22 years this May, we’re also using Women’s Health Month to share more education like this throughout the month. Our hope is to reframe how pain in this stage of life is understood. It should not be something to accept or push through, but as something that can be addressed, improved, and often significantly changed with the right approach.
