It feels as if my legs are very heavy. I have always been fit and I could do lots of squats, but now I strain to do half a dozen. Climbing stairs is a strain to the knees, as if I've injured myself. I know I hurt one knee in a fall, so it's as if the other knee is going out in sympathy. Some nights the knees - not the knee caps though - seem to ache all night. The bone down the outside of the thigh is also in pain. Is there anything that I can take to help this? I'd rather have a natural product, not an anti-inflamatory.

Lowering oestrogen levels can affect the hydration of the joints, leading to irritation and inflammation.

This is common in and after the menopause. Muscle fatigue is also common due, again to low oestrogen but possibly low magnesium levels as well - magnesium is a vital mineral and our body needs lots to cope with everything!

I would suggest Devils Claw for the muscle/joint aches and pains, and also a magnesium citrate supplement.

Make sure, too, that you are drinking plenty of plain water and avoid caffeine, high salt and sugar foods, and fizzy/sugary drinks as these can all make joint/muscle pain worse.

Muscle fatigue and joint pains can also be caused by low iron so it might be an idea to ask your doctor to test for this just to rule it out.

Eileen Durward