Tendinopathies in physically active post-menopausal women: a concise review

Area of Science:

• Musculoskeletal health
• Reproductive endocrinology
• Sports medicine

Background:

• Menopause involves declining estrogen, impacting musculoskeletal tissues like bone and cartilage.
• Reduced estrogen decreases tendon tensile strength, elevating tendinopathy risk in peri- and post-menopausal women.
• Tendinopathy hinders physical activity due to pain and impaired tendon function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review tendinopathy pathophysiology in physically active, menopausal women.
• To evaluate evidence for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in preventing/managing menopausal tendinopathies.
• To identify future research directions in this area.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of pathophysiology and HRT effects on tendinopathies.
• Appraisal of existing studies on HRT and menopausal women's tendon health.
• Synthesis of findings to inform clinical recommendations and research.

Main Results:

• Estrogen decline is linked to reduced tendon strength and increased tendinopathy incidence.
• HRT shows potential for improving tendon composition and structure post-menopause.
• Physically active women may experience greater tendinopathy symptom relief with HRT.

Conclusions:

• Estrogen deficiency significantly affects tendon integrity during menopause.
• HRT is a potential therapeutic option for tendinopathies in active menopausal women.
• Further research is needed to optimize HRT protocols and understand its long-term effects on tendon health.