If you’ve hit menopause and suddenly find yourself dealing with nagging hip pain, stiffness, or that deep ache that just won’t quit, you’re not imagining it — and you’re definitely not alone.
Hip labral tears are showing up more often in women navigating peri- and post-menopause, and the reason isn’t just overuse or bad luck. The hormonal shifts that come with menopause change how your body moves, recovers, and repairs itself — and your hips often end up caught in the middle of it all.
Why Menopause Changes the Way Your Hips Feel
Estrogen does a lot more than regulate your cycle. It helps maintain the integrity of your connective tissue, cartilage, and even the bones that support your joints. When those levels start to drop, everything from your stride to your stability can shift.
As estrogen declines, connective tissues — like the labrum that cushions your hip socket — lose some of their elasticity and resilience. That means they don’t bounce back the same way after repetitive stress or impact. What used to feel like a “good sore” after a run might now linger as a deep, sharp ache or pinch in the front of your hip.
Lower estrogen also contributes to reduced bone density, which can subtly alter how force travels through your joints. Add in muscle loss (which accelerates after 40 if you’re not strength training) and you’ve got a recipe for increased load on the hip joint — and the labrum is often the one picking up the slack.
And then there’s the movement piece. When glutes, core, and hip stabilizers aren’t firing optimally, the smaller muscles start compensating. That imbalance changes gait mechanics and adds extra friction inside the hip joint.
Even small changes in weight distribution or activity levels during menopause can amplify those forces. The result? A joint that’s working harder than it used to — and not always efficiently.
What You Can Do to Protect (and Strengthen) Your Hips
The good news: you have a lot more control than you think. Menopause might change the rules, but it doesn’t sideline you. Here’s where to focus your energy.
Strength Training Is Non-Negotiable
Lifting isn’t just for performance — it’s for protection. Building up glute strength, core stability, and the muscles that support your pelvis helps distribute force evenly so your hips aren’t doing all the heavy lifting. Movements like bridges, deadlifts, step-ups, and single-leg balance work are especially powerful for protecting the labrum and restoring symmetry.
Mobility Is Medicine
Tight hips aren’t just uncomfortable — they restrict range of motion and change movement patterns. Controlled mobility drills, dynamic stretching, and joint rotations keep tissues pliable and help your body move efficiently. Think of mobility as your recovery insurance policy.
Rethink Impact, Don’t Avoid It
You don’t have to quit running or lifting just because your hips hurt. You just need to manage load smarter. Mixing in cross-training, lower-impact intervals, or surface changes can reduce cumulative strain while keeping your fitness intact. The goal is to move often — but move intentionally.
Prioritize Recovery Like It’s Training
Your tissues repair slower now, which means recovery is as important as reps. Hydration, sleep, nutrition, and active recovery all directly impact how your joints feel and function. And yes, creatine and collagen can play supportive roles for tendon and cartilage health — but they work best alongside consistent strength work.
Getting Support That Fits Your Stage
If you’re in menopause and dealing with hip pain, don’t brush it off or assume it’s “just aging.” It’s a signal — and it’s one you can respond to.
With the right combination of strength, movement strategy, and load management, you can rebuild stability and get back to running, lifting, and living without pain dictating your pace.
I work with menopausal and masters athletes to develop individualized strength and recovery plans that adapt to these hormonal changes instead of fighting them. Together, we rebuild strength from the ground up — one movement at a time.
If you’re ready to move with confidence again, let’s talk about a plan designed for your body and your goals.