Bone density loss is a common problem amongst women who have gone through menopause. This causes weakened bones that aren’t able to bear weight in the same manner.

Women who have this may find it difficult or painful to move around or become bedridden due to weak bones. We look into the causes, the link with menopause, and possible solutions to this problem through physical therapy.

What Causes Bone Loss?

The disease called osteoporosis, which literally means porous bones, leads to a loss of density in bones, makes them more fragile, and increases the chances of you breaking bones. The disease slowly reduces the mass in your bones and lowers their weight-bearing capabilities. The disease can be hard to detect until someone breaks a bone due to it.

While the exact reason osteoporosis occurs in some people and not in others can be difficult to pinpoint. There are a number of factors that can go into it, which range from your diet, hereditary diseases, age, and health habits.

What is the Link Between Osteoporosis and Menopause?

One of the bigger reasons women are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis is due to the lowered amount of estrogen in the body during perimenopause and menopause. The lowered level of estrogen is also one of the factors that can lead to the disease beginning.

Another reason that the disease is often found in women who have gone through menopause is the natural reduction of calcium in our bodies in the second half of our lives. The human body recovers bone matter faster than it loses it until the age of 30 to 35. After that point, a slow descent is seen in your bone mass. With a simultaneous drop in estrogen level and a couple of decades of bone loss, post-menopausal women are very likely to suffer from the disease.

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

Osteoporosis, however, is not a lost cause. There are ways to treat it, especially through non-invasive techniques like physical therapy. Just as the exact symptoms of osteoporosis may differ in people, a physical therapist will create an individual treatment plan for joint and bone-strengthening exercises to help reduce the loss of bone density and even build it back up.

If you are looking for physical therapy and treatments for women of menopausal age, consider contacting our team of physical therapists in Thompson, GA, at our Helping Hands Physical Therapy Center. We’ve developed special treatments and therapy services for older women to help them stay healthy and functioning.