Women’s Health Unwrapped
Episode 166:
Simple daily stretches to support menopause joint pain and long-term health
Feeling stiff or achy in midlife and wondering how to ease your menopause joint pain?
“It’s so easy to look at how you feel today and decide that this is the beginning of the decline. You’re tired, your body feels different, you’re in pain, and you assume: this is just what ageing looks like now.”
— Nicola Farndell
“People think of stretching as just a stretching technique, but what it actually gives you is a brain break. Fifteen minutes where you’re not solving anything, not performing, not fixing anyone else. You’re just with your body, letting it let go.”
— Butch Phelps
In this episode of Women’s Health Unwrapped:
You’re doing the “right” things. You’re trying to exercise. You know strength matters in midlife. And yet your body still feels stiff, achy, or fragile.
If you’ve ever been told “this is just ageing” or felt your world shrink because pain made everyday life harder, this episode is for you.
In this conversation, I’m joined by Butch Phelps, author of Stretching Release and creator of The Muscle Repair Shop, to explore a different way of thinking about mobility in midlife. Not stretching as another task you should be doing perfectly, but as a simple daily practice that helps your body feel safe enough to move well again. This is exactly the kind of change that only happens when you implement it in real life, not when you just learn about it.
In this episode we unwrap:
Why midlife can feel like a “decline” — and how to reframe it as a shift you can lead.
The mind–muscle connection: how stress and fear can tighten the body and amplify pain.
Why “hold a stretch for 30 seconds” often backfires (and what to do instead).
How tight calves, quads, and chest muscles can affect your back, hips, neck, and shoulders.
The simple habit shift that makes stretching doable when you’re busy: chunking it into your day.
Why strength training is powerful, but not the whole answer for pain-free movement and life-long mobility.
About Butch Phelps:
Butch Phelps is a self-proclaimed muscle nerd with an insatiable curiosity for how the human body works, especially when it comes to muscles. But he’s not just a bookworm in a lab coat—Butch is a hands-on, life-tested expert who’s been through it all. He's an author, public speaker, and licensed massage therapist with a bachelor's degree in Aging Sciences.
Connect with Butch:
If menopause has you thinking,
“This is just how I feel now”… pause.
That’s a story your nervous system has learned. Not a fact.
The Midlife Reset Quiz helps you get clear on what’s driving your symptoms and stuckness, then gives you one next step that’s doable enough to implement.
2 minutes. Personalised insight. Less pressure.
✨ Take the Midlife Reset Quiz and take your first step back to you.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
“I just thought I had to fight through menopause and didn’t realise
I could actually support myself to feel great!”
If you want to thrive through and beyond menopause to live a great life listen, rate and review the show to support more women — just like you — to take control of their menopause, reduce overwhelm and know how to build confidence in menopause. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.”
If you haven’t done so already, follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn for more inspiration, ideas and support to take control of your health and thrive in midlife and menopause!