Strong Feet Prevent Falls

Oestrogen receptors are widespread in a woman’s body and can be found among other areas, in connective tissue, muscles and blood vessels. It plays a role in maintaining collagen so it is no surprise that as oestrogen levels drop in menopause and beyond, changes occur in skin, joints, muscles, bones, hair, nails and connective tissue.

The area of the body I want to speak about in this post however, is the feet. Given that the feet support our entire body weight and play a role in almost every action we do, I think they deserve our attention.

The soles of the feet contain shock absorbing padding under the ball and heel made up of adipose tissue (fat cells) which is contained within chambers, themselves made up of collagen and elastin. As oestrogen levels drop, collagen degrades and the tissue thins which can lead to increased pressure on the bones of the feet causing pain when standing for long periods or walking.

Ligaments lose their elasticity and become stiff which alongside a decrease in collagen can result in collapsed arches, plantar fasciitis and changes to the shape of our feet.

Feet are at high risk of osteoporosis leading to potential fractures.

As oestrogen cells are found in the blood vessels, poor circulation can arise in the feet leading to issues such as poor temperature regulation (mainly cold feet), muscle cramps, dry or cracked skin and nails and even oedema (swelling).

As we age, falls increase contributing significantly to hip fractures and while this relates not just to feet but to weakened leg muscles, caring for our feet will help.

As a Yoga teacher, I pride myself in the ability to balance. I don’t mean that I am able to stand on one leg for ages; what use is that in daily life? No, I mean the ability to prevent myself from falling when I stumble or trip over a bramble which I frequently do!

Strengthening the feet helps prevent falls because it gives us grip and stability; the lack of which is the greatest predictor of falls. Strong toes can decelerate a fall affording time to rebalance. And strong, articulate feet improves proprioception (our sense of where we are in space) which supports balance.

Other things you can do to care for your feet:

Taking HRT will help but for those of us not on HRT, taking collagen is an advantage. There are many brands out there, some bovine, others marine and there are even plant based collagen supplements made up of collagen builders such as amino acids that the body requires to synthesise its own collagen - however, given that it is the lack of oestrogen causing a reduction in collagen synthesis, I would recommend vegetarians and vegans speak to a specialist as oestrogen replacement would be necessary for such a collagen supplement to have any effect.

Some post menopausal women find an increase in visceral fat occurs so eating a Ketone diet (no carbohydrates) may help with maintaining weight which in turn will put less pressure on the feet.

Regular exercise is vital to maintain good circulation; a sedentary lifestyle will increase the chance of oedema in the feet and ankles.

Massaging the feet, moisturising the skin and using essential oils that increase circulation such as rosemary may help although skin tests should always be done to prevent an allergic reaction.

For more assistance on specific foot ailments at menopause, you may find the following article by Dr. Louise Newson article helpful:

https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/knowledge/plantar-fasciitis-foot-pain-and-menopause

References:

Camajani E, Feraco A, Verde L, Moriconi E, Marchetti M, Colao A, Caprio M, Muscogiuri G, Barrea L. Ketogenic Diet as a Possible Non-pharmacological Therapy in Main Endocrine Diseases of the Female Reproductive System: A Practical Guide for Nutritionists. Curr Obes Rep. 2023 Sep;12(3):231-249. doi: 10.1007/s13679-023-00516-1. Epub 2023 Jul 5. PMID: 37405618; PMCID: PMC10482777.

Zhao J, Liang G, Huang H, Zeng L, Yang W, Pan J, Liu J. Identification of risk factors for falls in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoporos Int. 2020 Oct;31(10):1895-1904. doi: 10.1007/s00198-020-05508-8. Epub 2020 Jun 26. PMID: 32591972; PMCID: PMC7497515.

https://figtreepodiatry.com.au/2025/04/01/menopause-and-your-feet-understanding-changes-and-finding-relief/

https://www.naturopathy-uk.com/news/news-cnm-blog/blog/2022/01/26/11-ways-to-improve-circulation/

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/articles/2019/may/falls-in-later-life-a-huge-concern-for-older-people/