[Effects of exercise and sports on bone health in pre- and postmenopausal women.]

Exercise and sports are an important means of improving bone health in pre- and postmenopausal women. Generally accepted strategies to improve bone health in this population aim to minimize age-related bone loss. In terms of physical activity, those forms that feature high-impact or weight-bearing activity appear to exert positive influences on bone health. Results of recent meta-analyses have shown that high-impact exercise significantly improves bone mineral density(BMD)in pre- and postmenopausal women. Studies have also shown that walking as an exercise therapy for more than 6 months exerts significant and positive effects on femoral neck BMD in peri- and postmenopausal women. Exercise and sports can be strongly recommended as non-pharmacologic interventions for improving bone health in pre- and postmenopausal women.