Menopause and exercise

Menopause is a significant phase in a woman's life accompanied by various physical and hormonal changes. Engaging in strength training can offer numerous health benefits that are particularly important during this stage.

What menopause is:

Menopause marks the end of menstruation and reproductive capacity and is associated with various physiological hormonal changes. In particular, the decline in estrogen levels has detrimental effects on a woman's body composition including:

• Increase in fat mass

• decrease in muscle mass

• decrease in strength

• decrease in bone mineral density

These effects put menopausal women at higher risk of:

• Developing osteoporosis and other musculoskeletal disorders

• Increased risk of falls and bone fractures

• reduction in muscle mass may lead to physical disability and negatively effects the performance of everyday activities.

It is crucial to maintain muscle mass during ageing for musculoskeletal health.

Weight training, also called resistance training, is the only way to increase muscle mass. There is very good evidence that it is effective in counteracting most of the negative effects of menopause. Therefore, it is highly recommended that menopausal women participate in weight training.

Make an appointment with our Biokineticist if you need more information or guidance regarding the optimal dosage for weight training and what type of exercises to perform.

You don't stop moving because you age. You age because you stop moving.