POST-MENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS

What is
Post-Menopausal
Osteoporosis?
Post-menopausal
osteoporosis is the
weakening of bone after
menopause. When
women are in their 30s,
they begin to lose bone
mineral density. This
process speeds up after
menopause due to the
Photo courtesy of womenshealth.gov
loss of estrogen. The rate
of bone loss becomes
Risk Factors faster than the rate of
bone growth.

Changeable:
• Extended bed rest or low activity level
• Smoking
• Not enough calcium or vitamin D throughout
lifetime
• Excessive alcohol use
• Long-term use of certain medications
Non-changeable:
• Small and thin bones
• Increased age
• White and Asian ethnicity
• Family history of broken bones or osteoporosis
• Early menopause
• Surgery to remove ovaries before menstruation
stopped

Menopause: the time in a women’s life that marks the end of menstrual cycles.
Bone Mineral Density: the amount of mineral matter in bone (per sq. cm).
Estrogen: female hormone that controls and effects bodily functions.
 Symptoms
• Bone loss can happen for many years
without causing symptoms
• The first symptom can be a broken
bone
• Symptoms of a broken bone:
o Severe pain
o Loss of height
o Bone deformities
• The most common broken bone sites Photo courtesy of womenshealth.gov
are in the back, hip, and wrist
• Medical assessment by a doctor and
a bone mineral density test can be
done to identify osteoporosis Ways to Reduce Your Risk
• Drug therapy-Speak with your
doctor for more information.
• Changing lifestyle habits
o Eating foods high in calcium,
such as milk, yogurt, and
cheese
o Taking vitamin D supplements
o Avoidance of tobacco,
alcohol, and caffeine
o Exercise to keep up your
current bone mass
o Exercise
§ Walking or jogging
Photo courtesy of womenshealth.gov § Water aerobics
References:
§ Dancing
1. Office on Women’s Health. Osteoporosis. 2017. Available at: § Hiking
https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/osteoporosis
2. Your Disease Risk: Osteoporosis. 2013. Available at:
§ Tennis
http://www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu/YDRDefault.aspx?ScreenContr § Lifting weights or using
ol=YDRGeneral&ScreenName=YDROsteoporosis. Accessed July 30,
2017.
elastic bands
3. NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource § Pilates or yoga
Center. Osteoporosis Overview. 2015. Available at:
https://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/overview
§ Lifting your own body
.asp. Accessed July 30, 2017. weight
4. Osteoporosis Exercise for Strong Bones. National Osteoporosis
Foundation. Available at: https://www.nof.org/patients/fracturesfall-
prevention/exercisesafe-movement/osteoporosis-exercise-for-strong-
bones/. Accessed July 29, 2017.
5. Murphy F, Kivitz A, Sands E. Management of Postmenopausal
Osteoporosis. The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
2003;103(6):S6-S11. http://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2092785.
Accessed July 29, 2017. Sheryl Zimmerman, Katie Ouillette, Sierra Moore
6. Jeremiah M, Unwin B, Greenawald M. Diagnosis and Management
of Osteoporosis. American Family Physician. 2015;92(4):261-268.
Central Michigan University
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2015/0815/p261.html. Accessed July 29,
2017.