Background: The prevalence and characterization of specific types of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions associated with menopausal transition remains unclear and is often underreported. Our objectives were twofold: (1) to systematically review, and conduct meta-analysis whenever appropriate, to compare the prevalence of MSK symptoms across the different stages of menopause and (2) to characterize the specific MSK conditions associated with transition to menopause.
Methods: We searched Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and PubMed from inception to May 2024. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they included perimenopausal women and reported any primary data on MSK symptoms or pathology. The outcomes we aimed to find included muscle and joint pain, back pain, and the prevalence of various MSK conditions. A pairwise meta-analysis was performed using a DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model for all comparative data, and subgroup analyses were used to explore heterogeneity.
Results: After screening 5,556 relevant records, 37 observational studies across 22 countries enrolling 93,021 women were included in the quantitative analysis. Four in 10 women experienced muscle or joint pain during the premenopausal phase (40% [95% confidence interval {CI}: 32%-49%]). Whereas over half of perimenopausal women (57% [95% CI: 48%-65%]) and postmenopausal women (59% [95% CI: 50%-67%]) experienced muscle or joint pain, representing a 1.35-fold increased risk (risk ratio [RR] 1.35, 95% CI: 1.25-1.46, p < 0.001, I2 = 88.6%; absolute risk difference 130 more per 1,000 [95% CI: 93-171]) and a 1.40-fold increased risk (RR 1.40, 95% CI: 1.28-1.53, p < 0.001, I2 = 95.0%; absolute risk difference 148 more per 1,000 [95% CI: 104-197]) on pairwise comparison with premenopausal women, respectively. Geographic study location nor measurement scale explained the considerable heterogeneity in the pooled analyses. There was underreporting of specific MSK conditions beyond the generic descriptors of muscle and/or joint pain.
Conclusion: Women transitioning to menopause appear to be at increased risk of developing muscle or joint pain. However, as these findings are based on observational studies, specific causes of MSK pain are underreported, and there is significant heterogeneity. Further high-quality research is needed to confirm and clarify this association.
Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.