Who would have thought that menopause and clumsiness could go hand-in-hand? Well, they do! That bumbling sensation could actually be an early sign of perimenopause. We hear from a lot of women that they feel more uncoordinated and clumsy as they enter peri- and menopause. Well, you’re not alone.
Coordination disorders in adults are sometimes referred to as ‘dyspraxia.’ Dyspraxia can be experienced when hormones are too low and can become exaggerated during peri- and menopause. 1,2
Dyspraxia is a disorder that can impact our ability to complete tasks that require balance, like playing sports, or maybe doing two things at once becomes more challenging. Possibly even driving the car is more difficult than it used to be. Other symptoms can include being more easily distracted, or just juggling all of the activities throughout your day feels impossible.
Coordination as We Age
During peri- and menopause it would be easy to blame the lack of coordination on sleep issues or brain fog, which may be part of the problem. But clumsiness, bumping into things, tripping, and loss of balance are also unique symptoms of hormone changes.
Remembering back to puberty when our hormones were fluctuating wildly, we weren’t very coordinated then either. While we aren’t growing vertically as we did in puberty, our bodies are changing considerably, and clumsiness can be a part of that adaptation.
“Many women report they have become clumsier during menopause, or that they have become clumsy for the first time ever during menopause.” 3
Gracelessly walking through peri- and menopause can be due to the fluctuating of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. The drop in these hormones is also causing other puberty-like changes in our skin like acne, hair in places we aren’t used to seeing it, and even changes in our genitalia. 2,3
While there are lots of other menopause symptoms that get more attention - hot flashes, fluctuating weight, vaginal dryness, and reduced libido - the loss of coordination can be really frustrating and lead to increased bruising, and accidents. 1
Bruised and Battered?
Increased clumsiness can make bruising — another common symptom of perimenopause — occur even more. You might start to notice increased bruising as you enter peri- and menopause which is also likely a result of the decrease in hormones. This increased propensity for bruising can be due to decreased hormones that make your skin thinner.
The hormones that are dropping during menopause, specifically estrogen, play an important role in the maintenance of your skin. When levels of estrogen decline, the production of collagen that keeps your skin moist and tight is reduced. As a result, your skin becomes thinner and drier, and more prone to bruising.
When this change in hormones causes easy bruising at the same time as becoming more accident-prone, the bruising can start to look pretty disturbing. You may even feel self-conscious because you bruise so easily that you don’t remember how you got the wounds.
Conclusion
Menopause and clumsiness along with the easy bruising that can come with it can be tough to deal with, but they are natural early signs of perimenopause. There are effective menopause treatments, like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that can help regain your balance and reduce bruising. With menopause support from Winona, you have the opportunity to take preventive action against health risks associated with the ever-decreasing hormones as we age.
Hormone replacement therapy is a safe and physiologically natural way for you to restore proper hormone levels. HRT uses substances that are bioidentical to those produced by your own body. Winona’s healthcare platform is a place to safely connect with a healthcare provider to receive the care you deserve. Check out Winona today for safe and effective solutions bywinona.com.
