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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
The orthopedic side of menopause is more significant than most realize. Bone density starts dropping rapidly 2 years before menopause, not after — and women face heightened risks of joint pain, tendon injuries, and fractures throughout the transition. Hormone therapy, strength training, and targeted nutrition can make a real difference during this critical window.
When people think of menopause symptoms, hot flashes and mood changes come to mind — but orthopedic consequences may be just as significant, and they start earlier than expected. According to Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein of Duke University Medical Center, bone density begins declining at a rate of about 2% per year starting 2 years before menopause, not after it as commonly believed. Women in perimenopause and menopause are also more vulnerable to joint pain, tendon injuries, and adhesive capsulitis — a condition tied to hormonal and endocrine changes.
The good news? This trajectory is largely preventable. Hormone therapy — FDA-approved for osteoporosis prevention — can cut hip fractures by nearly one-third and vertebral fractures by 40%. Strength training, impact exercises, and balance work also play a protective role, as does a targeted nutritional regimen.
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Why it matters: There's a critical "decade of opportunity" in a woman's 50s to intervene — long before the hip fractures that typically strike in her 70s and 80s. Greater collaboration between orthopedic and women's health specialists could help close this gap.
