It feels as if my legs are so heavy, I have always been fit and could do lots of squats, now its a strain to do half a dozen. Climbing stairs is a strain on my knees as if I've injured myself. Some nights just under the knee seems to ache all night and also the bone down the outside of the thigh aches. Is there anything I can take to help this?

Lowering oestrogen levels can affect the hydration of the joints leading to irritation and inflammation and 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! So 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