Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause
Hi friends!
What is the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause? Bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints collectively make up the musculoskeletal system. An astounding 71% of women experience musculoskeletal symptoms during menopause. Changes to bone and muscle tissue aren't talked about as often as other menopause symptoms, but the effects are vast. The symptoms include decreased flexibility, muscle and bone loss, body aches, and joint pain. Sometimes these may lead to more severe problems, such as adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), that can cause severe pain and difficulty with movement.
Estrogen plays a crucial role in musculoskeletal health. Estrogen in the form of estradiol helps mitigate musculoskeletal symptoms by reducing inflammation and changes to cartilage. Estradiol, the primary form of estrogen, produced during a woman’s reproductive years, reduces muscle breakdown and boosts cells that aid in muscle health. In addition, it slows the breakdown and remodeling of bone and the destruction of cartilage. When someone enters menopause, estradiol is no longer the primary estrogen. Estrone, a weaker form of estrogen, replaces estradiol. This weaker version has difficulty preserving the musculoskeletal system as effectively as estradiol. The outcome is loss of muscle mass, decreased bone density, and changes to cartilage.
Physical changes of menopause:
Pain noted in muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments
Loss of muscle mass
Decreased bone density and increased risk of fracture
Frequent injuries to tendons and ligaments
Increased rate of osteoarthritis
Self-care in the form of movement is a huge part of treatment! Building a strong foundation for your musculoskeletal system before beginning the menopause transition is awesome. If you are already in menopause, it’s not too late to start!
Exercise is extremely important to maintaining musculoskeletal health. Types of exercise training include:
Resistance training:
Helps to increase bone mass reducing the risk of osteoporosis (bone loss).
Helps to increase or maintain muscle mass
Standard training protocol: 2-3 days per week, 2-3 sets, 8-15 repetitions
Mobility training:
Helps maintain tissue length and flexibility
Helps foster health of tissues and joints
Promotes functional movements
Standard training protocol: 2-7 days per week
Balance training:
Reduces the risk of falls that may lead to fracture
Promotes function
Standard training protocol: 2-7 days per week
Investing in our health and wellness is important to mitigate injury and promote healthy function of our musculoskeletal system. Movement is medicine. This is one of my favorite sayings and it becomes even more powerful as we age. Stay well-ish friends.
Xoxo,
Dani
