Osteoporosis, which makes bones brittle, causes fractures in one in three women and 20 per cent of men over 50. A scan that can check for ostopenia – loss of bone density – and exercise lower the risks.
In postmenopausal women, exercise appears to improve strength at the hip through changes in structure, not bone mineral density (BMD), whereas a bisphosphonate improved BMD and bone turnover markers.
Postmenopausal women with low bone mass should obtain adequate calcium and vitamin D and participate in bone-loading exercises, researchers summarize in a recent study published in Osteoporosis International.