Associations of Habitual Skeletal Loading with Bone Changes during the Menopausal Transition: A Follow-Up Study

Area of Science:

• Bone biology and skeletal health
• Menopause and aging
• Physical activity and biomechanics

Background:

• Weight-bearing physical activity is known to benefit bone health.
• The impact of physical activity on hormone-driven menopausal bone deterioration is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in bone health indicators during the menopausal transition.
• To evaluate if accelerometer-measured habitual skeletal loading is associated with these changes.

Main Methods:

• 189 perimenopausal women were followed for 15 months into postmenopause.
• Bone mineral density, content, and volumetric BMD were measured.
• Habitual skeletal loading was assessed using accelerometry.

Main Results:

• Consistent decreases in bone mineral density and volumetric BMD were observed at all measured sites.
• Medium and high-intensity impacts showed positive associations with femoral and tibial shaft bone characteristics.
• No association was found between overall habitual skeletal loading and changes in bone health during the menopausal transition.

Conclusions:

• The menopausal transition leads to uniform skeletal changes across measured bone sites.
• While specific impact intensities correlate with bone characteristics, habitual physical activity does not appear to mitigate menopausal bone loss.