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What Does A Women's Health Physical Therapist Do?
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Examples of Conditions Treated included |
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Other Questions
American Physical Therapy Association www.womenshealthapta.org |
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BONING UP ON OSTEOPOROSIS |
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Osteoporosis affects all women ? young, middle-aged, and old. It has been described as a disease of the old with an adolescent onset. Starting with her first menstrual cycle, a woman becomes at risk and the risk increases as a woman experiences menopause and ages. Diet, exercise, and the way you move your body all contribute to good bone health. Weight bearing exercises are important to increase bone mass, but keeping key muscles strong and flexible are also important in reducing fracture risk. Erect posture helps maintain good alignment in the bony structure and further reduces fracture risk. Balance training helps to prevent the falls that cause fractures. An exercise program is important at all stages of a woman?s life. A woman is never too young or too old to begin an exercise program for bone health. A women?s health physical therapist can help you assess your risk by analyzing your posture, assessing the strength and length of key muscle groups and designing an exercise program to specifically target your risks. Analysis of your body mechanics (how you use your body in space to do common every day tasks) will help you to develop good habits for a lifetime or reduce the risk of a compression fracture if you already have osteoporosis. Take a walk today ? hold your head high, breathe deeply to expand your rib cage, pull your stomach muscles in, and swing your arms. Your bones will be glad you did. Section on Women's Health - American Physical Therapy Association ______________________________________________________________________________ What Is Menopause? The medical definition of menopause is cessation of menses for 12 months, when the ovaries stop making the hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. For most women, menopause simply marks the end of their reproductive years. While the average age of menopause is about 51, some women may experience it as early as their thirties or as late as their sixties. Symptoms of menopause include: hot flashes, night sweats, bladder and reproductive tract changes, insomnia, headache, lethargy/fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression, heart palpitations and joint pain. How Does Exercise Help? The good news is that a regular program of physical activity can help manage many of the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause as well as the related health concerns, such as heart disease and osteoporosis. The mood-elevating, tension-relieving effects of aerobic exercise help reduce the depression and anxiety that often accompanies menopause. Aerobic exercise also promotes the loss of abdominal fat—the place most women more readily gain weight during menopause. In addition, some research studies have shown that the increased estrogen levels that follow a woman's exercise session coincide with an overall decrease in the severity of hot flashes. Strength training also helps. It stimulates bones to retain the minerals that keep them dense and strong, thus preventing the onset and progression of osteoporosis. These effects of exercise, along with improved cholesterol levels and physical fitness, work together to help prevent heart disease. Keep in mind, though, that good nutrition works hand in hand with a physically active lifestyle. A low-fat, high-fiber diet and adequate calcium intake are vital to realize the full benefits of exercise. The Good News If you have been a consistent exerciser during the years leading to menopause, you already have an advantage. Aerobic activity during childbearing years reduces the risk of breast cancer, a disease that becomes more prevalent after menopause. You also will have a jump on your bone health since your strength-training exercises may have increased the density and strength of your bones. To reap the benefits of exercise, a balanced program of weight-bearing aerobic activity (walking is great), strength training (with weights, resistance bands, yoga or even gardening), and flexibility is essential. Consistency is key so strive for some moderate activity daily, or at least most days of the week, every week. Menopause And Beyond: Exercise Helps... Reduce and prevent symptoms:
American Council on Exercise www.acefitness.org ________________________________________________________________________________ |
