If you’re suffering from joint woes in middle age, you’re not alone... particularly if you spend a lot of time sitting down. In fact, broadcaster Zoe Ball revealed on the latest episode of the Dig It podcast that she’s one of the 40-50% of women aged 45 to 65 who suffer from joint aches and pains.

While the temptation might be to avoid exercise in case you exacerbate problems, it’s usually better to get moving. Strength training, in particular, can be very helpful, says Kim Hawley, GH’s fitness expert. ‘It’s always advisable to get joint pain checked out first, but for the majority of midlife niggles strength training will help by strengthening the muscles and ligaments and tendons, which will allow for easier movement.’

Speaking to co-host Jo Whiley and podcast guest, trainer Kate Oakley, Zoe agreed. ‘I’ve got hip issues and I’ve got knee issues and you think, “Oh well, I probably shouldn’t do stuff,” but strength training makes them stronger if you’re doing the right kind of stuff.’

Personal trainer and menopause specialist Kate replied: ‘Absolutely. It can feel counterintuitive to start strength training, but actually it can really really help... I know that a lot of your listeners have aches, pains, joint niggles, and strength training can really really help with all that.’

And she outlined exactly why we should all be picking up those weights. ‘The reason we need to be strength training in midlife is because we need to be working on our bone density and muscle mass, which declines from perimenopause onwards. Essentially, we need to be thinking about our future selves.

‘If we want to continue living the life we want in our 70s, our 80s and maybe beyond, we need to be thinking about building that muscle and protecting that bone. But it’s not just about future-proofing your body. It’s also about getting the most out of today. If you’ve got issues with you knees, for example, by building the strength in your thighs, your quad muscles and your glutes, that can really support your knees and it can be a game-changer.

‘It’s never too late to strength train, ever. What I would just say is to start safely and carefully. Start small. Just 10 minutes three times a week, something like that, and start to feel that strength build and you can always take it up from there.’

For Kate’s 10-minute strength workout, click here.