Musculoskeletal Disorders and Menopause

Menopause has an adverse impact on overall musculoskeletal health. It is associated with osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and Sarcopenia. Sarcopenia includes age-related muscle wasting as well as loss of muscle function. It is a relatively newly recognized condition and is known to be accelerated by estrogen deficiency. Osteoarthritis is also linked with estrogen deficiency more recently. Locomotor disability leads to a compromised quality of life. Sarcopenia and obesity (sarcobesity) have adverse outcome as it leads to morbidity due to increased incidence of lifestyle diseases like diabetes mellitus, hypertension. Poor musculoskeletal health may progress to frailty and higher incidence of falls and fractures which further increase associated morbidity and mortality. The healthcare providers and policy makers need to focus on this group of disorders and include its prevention in national program to reduce the health resources utilization.