Pain that shows up in midlife has a special way of messing with your confidence. One day you’re fine, the next day your knee, hip, back, or shoulder is changing how you sleep, move, work, and show up for the people you love. We wanted a smarter answer than “that’s just aging,” so we sat down with Stacey Roberts, a longtime physical therapist and chronic pain expert, to talk about what’s actually happening and what you can do next.

Stacey shares the moment that changed her own thinking: a sudden knee “pop,” a swollen joint, and an appointment that rushed straight to total knee replacement and a cortisone injection. From there, we unpack a key takeaway for anyone dealing with arthritis, joint pain, muscle pain, or chronic pain: imaging does not equal destiny. You can have significant arthritis and still be pain-free, and you can often reduce pain by finding the real drivers instead of chasing a quick fix.

We also connect the dots to perimenopause and menopause. As estrogen and other hormones decline, you lose natural anti-inflammatory support, which can turn up pain even when your habits haven’t changed. We talk HRT as one possible tool, plus practical lifestyle strategies that matter just as much: reducing ultra-processed foods, checking biomechanics and movement patterns, considering gut health and food sensitivities, and taking stress hormones like cortisol and thyroid function seriously. If you’ve been told to just push through, this conversation offers a different path: curiosity, personalization, and a plan.

If this helped, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review. What’s one pain trigger you’re ready to investigate first?

Stacey Roberts PT, RN, MSN has over 30 years of experience helping patients live pain-free while achieving their health goals. She is a Holistic Master’s Prepared Registered Nurse, a Musculoskeletal Specialist, a Pelvic and Sexual Health Physiotherapist, and a Functional Medicine Specialist. Stacey owns the New You Health and Wellness Practice in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, combining cutting-edge technology, advanced manual therapy, and functional medicine to help patients attain optimal health. Many of her patients, including herself have avoided surgery, drugs, and injections. She is the author of the #1 best-selling book, ​​

The Pain Free Formula: Solving The Puzzle of Muscle and Joint Pain Without Surgery, Drugs, or Injections and the host of the #1 podcast on chronic pain, The Pain Free Formula

Websites:

https://newyouhealthandwellness.com

New You Health and Wellness

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MiDOViA is dedicated to changing the narrative about menopause by educating, raising awareness & supporting women in this stage of life, both at home and in the workplace. Visit midovia.com to learn more.

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