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September is Pain Awareness Month. One in five adults live in chronic pain worldwide. Knee pain is one of the most common types of pain. But sometimes it is not the knee at all, but weak glutes, stiff hips, poor footwear, or hours of sitting that change your mechanics until your joints start protesting. From the Sunflower House, Dr. Thacker digs into osteoarthritis and the everyday patterns that push joint pain from “annoying” to life-limiting, especially for midlife and postmenopausal women.

She breaks down what osteoarthritis is (and what it is not), why X-rays can look terrible when you feel fine, and why you can hurt a lot even when imaging seems mild. She also clears up common confusion between osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, then connects the menopause conversation to joints: low estrogen can affect cartilage, tendons, and muscle, and movement matters because cartilage has no direct blood supply.

You will also hear why “dead butt syndrome” is a real thing, how glute weakness can drive knee pain, and which simple exercises and physical therapy strategies can improve strength, balance, and long-term mobility.

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