Written By: Dr. Aashish Chaudhry | Updated : April 17, 2026 6:01 PM IST
With the advancement in technology social media has provided a new path to health awareness but a lot of half-baked information is also spreading like wildfire. The same misconceptions are developing concerning the menstrual cycle in women particularly the luteal phase. This period is usually described as a negative or even a difficult period when women are physically and mentally challenged. As an orthopaedic surgeon this view may even cause women to disregard the actual health indicators of their bodies.
A normal aspect of the hormonal changes in the body is the luteal phase which starts after ovulation and ends once menstruation starts. At this stage the concentration of the hormone progesterone increases preparing the body to give birth to a potential baby. Women at this phase typically face some physical changes such as slight swelling, water retention, muscle rigidity or joint pain. Therefore it is necessary to understand that not all women have these symptoms and that they are not necessarily solely due to hormonal changes.
When women are experiencing musculoskeletal health-related problems many will ignore them claiming they are in the luteal phase. During my clinical experience most women complained about back pain, knee pain, neck and shoulder stiffness. As I discuss with patients they usually share that they had long been overlooking these symptoms and they thought that they were normal pre-period pain. In my practice the causes of these problems can be a lack of vitamin D, lack of calcium, weakness of the muscles or stress that is gets on the joints.
The contemporary living practices are also worsening the situation such as sedentary lifestyles, improper posture, physical inactivity and unbalanced nutrition which are all detrimental to bones and joints. This is particularly worrying to women who are already experiencing problems that are associated with bone density making them more susceptible to such problems.
The increase in fluid retention and ligamental flexibility in the luteal phase may result in a minor rise in joint pressure. The pain can be more severe in case the muscles are already weak or it is a pre-existing issue with a joint. However it does not imply that the issue is completely hormonal it might be an indicator that the body requires improved treatment.
The other worrying trend on social media has been the propensity to blame all types of fatigue, pain and discomfort on the luteal phase. Such an attitude is dangerous since it makes people reluctant to find out the real reason for example, knee pain when climbing stairs and so on may be the first symptom of osteoarthritis or joint destruction.
As an orthopaedic specialist I would like to advise that it can cause severe issues in the future to disregard the signals that your body is giving. Whether it is knee pain, pain in the hip joint or constant back pain an immediate assessment is needed. Thankfully, surgical measures like joint replacement and arthroplasty have today made treatment of severe cases more effective but our goals should always be to ensure that we prevent the condition from reaching that level.
It is important for women to understand their body and take care of it not only in terms of hormonal balance but also in terms of musculoskeletal health. Exercising, particularly strength training, yoga and stretching is beneficial to build strong muscles and decrease the amount of pressure on the joints. Moreover consuming plenty of calcium and vitamin D, getting enough sunlight and proper posture are also very crucial.
To sum it up instead of being afraid or getting confused about the luteal phase it is necessary to consider it as a normal physiological process. However this should not be the cause to disregard other body signs. Correct information, prompt medical checkup and a healthy lifestyle are the main aspects of not only hormonal health but long-term bone and joint health.
