How to fix your ‘sparrow legs’
There is a distinctive, and somewhat bamboozling phenomenon, that often occurs in women post-menopause. Not only can it be tricky to tackle, it comes labelled with its own avian-inspired moniker – “sparrow legs”. And while the image of a little rotund bird with toothpick legs springs to mind, the experts agree that a hormonal shift can cause significant impact to the female shape.
Bini Suresh, a British Dietetic Association (BDA) spokesman and the head of dietetics at Cleveland Clinic London, says: “As women approach midlife, particularly during menopause, a decline in oestrogen can affect how fat is distributed in the body. There can be more central fat accumulation, usually around the stomach, and a reduction in fat and muscle mass in the lower body, especially the legs. These changes can happen even if a woman’s overall weight stays the same, yet her appearance can look noticeably different.”
But before you become resigned to a lifetime of elasticated waistbands and flared trousers, there are ways to take control and improve this condition.
What causes sparrow legs
Top of the liability list is the fluctuating disparity of hormones as a woman hits perimenopause and menopause, with oestrogen being the major culprit. As oestrogen declines, the body starts to store fat in a different way. Dr Naomi Potter, a leading menopause specialist, author and founder of Menopause Care clinic, explains: “Fat tends to redistribute from the hips and thighs towards the abdomen. At the same time, muscle mass naturally starts to decline with age – a process called sarcopenia – and this can be accelerated during menopause. It’s not uncommon to become leaner in the legs and softer around the middle.”
Also, when there is a natural decrease in muscle mass, a woman’s metabolic rate slows down, meaning fewer calories are burned at rest, often resulting in a potential increase in weight.
Judith, 52, a dedicated runner for decades, says she reached menopause and started to notice a different reflection of herself in the mirror. “My usual exercise kit was suddenly feeling tight around my middle. I checked myself in the bathroom mirror and saw an overspill of flesh at the waistband of my leggings. The skin was noticeably softer and thinner. My legs, which had always been strong, looked spindlier. I’ve since increased my running distances and started Reformer classes at the gym to help build up muscle. I’ve accepted I need to modify my workout routine to accommodate the changes in my body.”
The health risks of sparrow legs
Oestrogen tends to protect women from heart disease, particularly before menopause by helping maintain cholesterol levels, reducing the amount of fat in the arteries and keeping blood vessels flexible. So when oestrogen starts to dwindle, risks increase. Not only does a change in fat distribution mean weight is visible on the body, there can also be an internal visceral fat build-up which may intensify the chances of heart disease, some cancers and fatty liver disease.
Kathy Abernethy, a menopause specialist at Coombe Menopause Clinic, says: “Increased weight also raises the risk of metabolic syndrome, where a combination of weight, high blood pressure and poor insulin response can lead to the risk of Type 2 diabetes as well as heart disease.”
And as muscle loss in the legs occurs, you may struggle with balance, feel more strain on the knee, ankle and feet joints, and experience a decrease in strength and mobility over time, while your general wellbeing and independence may suffer.
Can HRT help with sparrow legs?
Dr Potter believes there is some benefit. “HRT can support body composition in a few key ways. By replacing the oestrogen your body is no longer making, HRT can help preserve muscle mass, support bone density and improve sleep and energy – all of which can contribute to maintaining a healthy weight. That said, HRT is not a weight-loss tool, and it won’t ‘reverse’ body changes on its own. It’s best seen as one piece of the puzzle, especially when combined with a healthy diet, regular exercises and lifestyle changes.”
“Some women sleep better after taking HRT, which can enhance health overall,” Abernethy explains. “Other benefits of hormone replacement include a positive effect on inflammation, cholesterol and blood glucose, and increased antioxidant activity. It also plays a role in protecting against osteoporosis risk, which might be helpful for those struggling with muscle loss. On another note, anyone using weight loss injections should tell their prescriber, as they may need a different approach to their HRT.”
How to get rid of sparrow legs
Getting rid of sparrow legs requires a two-pronged approach: reducing belly fat and strengthening the legs.
Although it isn’t possible to spot-reduce fat, there are ways you can reduce overall body fat and, as a result, your belly fat. But there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. While exercise plays a key role in fat loss, any fat reduction programme should focus most heavily on nutrition and reducing calorie intake to be effective.
Gabriela Peacock is a nutritionist, author, and founder of GP Nutrition. She advocates eating protein with every meal to help regulate blood sugar levels in the body and so control weight. “Start your day with a protein-rich breakfast, like poached or fried eggs on wholemeal or dark rye toast, or oats topped with nuts, seeds or nut butter. This way, you’re fuelling up with a good balance of protein and fibre,” she advises. “Add more protein to your lunch and dinner, pairing it with vegetable-based carbs like beans, broccoli, black rice or quinoa instead of starchy options like white rice, pasta or potatoes.”
Peacock also emphasises the importance of fibre, adding, “Most of us don’t get enough, even if we eat fruits and vegetables regularly. I also recommend a daily supplement with glucomannan. Glucomannan is a natural, water-absorbing soluble fibre that can be taken before meals to help with satiety and overeating, and it’s great for digestion, gut health, and supporting beneficial gut bacteria.
“I also suggest taking a multivitamin to all my clients. Even a deficiency in just one vitamin can have a cascade effect on your digestion, energy levels and sleep. If someone constantly feels tired, they’re less likely to exercise and more likely to crave sugary foods, which can lead to weight gain and feeling sluggish.”
Suresh agrees that regularly eating protein is beneficial. For positive wellbeing, he suggests combining a balanced, nutrient-rich diet, regular resistance and aerobic exercise, and seven-to-nine hours of quality sleep a night. “Together these support appetite control, insulin function, muscle preservation and fat metabolism, all key to reducing midlife weight gain and long-term health risks.”
The best exercises for sparrow legs
As we age, our ability to gain muscle diminishes. But that is no reason to give up on exercise. Regular resistance training can still increase muscle and strength, while also improving flexibility, stamina, brain function and cardiovascular health.
UK guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of higher-intensity activity a week for those aged 19 to 64, plus muscle-strengthening exercises, such as lifting weights, at least twice a week.
Lavina Mehta is a personal trainer and best-selling author of The Feel Good Fix. She says: “It’s never too late to start, and anyone post-menopausal can improve their shape. The key is ‘progressive overload’ in the form of compound functional exercises to build strength and muscle, which means you start training with just your body weight and then, as you get stronger, you introduce weights or add a resistance band and do more reps/sets or change the tempo of the move. This progression will help sparrow legs to become more defined and muscly.
All of these exercises can be performed two-to-three times a week with a rest day in between. With every exercise, always warm up first and stretch afterwards. Begin with just your body weight, then once you get stronger, add dumbbell weights, maybe starting with 2-5kg or bands.
John Lawrence
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower your hips back and down as though you are sitting into a chair.
Keep your chest up and knees tracking over your toes. If you are using weights, hold them in front of your chest.
As you return to standing, exhale and squeeze your glutes. Do three sets of 10-12 reps.
John Lawrence
Step one foot forward and bend both knees to roughly 90 degrees. Your front knee should stay above your ankle.
Push back to standing and alternate sides. Keep your core engaged to maintain balance. Do two-to-three sets, 10 reps per leg.
If you want to make it more challenging, elevate the back leg onto a step and then lower up and down.
John Lawrence
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold the weights in front of your thighs.
With soft knees, slowly hinge at the hips, travelling the weight down your legs while keeping a flat back.
Squeeze the glutes, and exhale as you return to standing. Repeat 10-12 times, three sets.
John Lawrence
Step one foot up, pushing through the heel to lift your body.
Lower slowly with control. Alternate the legs and repeat 20 times.
Another easy movement is calf raises to improve ankle strength. Lift your heels slowly up and down. These can be done while standing at the kitchen counter top, or even the bus stop, repeating for a few minutes.
John Lawrence
Lie on the floor, knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
Engage your stomach muscles and push your heels into the floor to raise your hips. Keep a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Slowly lower, vertebrae by vertebrae. Do 10-12 reps, three sets.
John Lawrence
Place a resistance band around your thighs and with feet hip-width apart move into a squat position.
Maintaining the tension on the band, move a couple of steps to the right and then come back to the centre and move to the left. Do 10-12 reps, three sets.