September 2008
When's the last time you gave your skeleton a good workout?
Your bones are living organs that are always changing throughout your lifetime. Strong bones need lots of calcium and vitamin D, and they thrive on regular, weight-bearing exercise. So take a walk, support your bones, and they will return the favor.Hot flashes, sleep disorders and mood swings are some of the symptoms heralding the onset of menopause. What's not as obvious, but just as real, is the gradual decline of bone strength. The best thing young women can do is exercise to build bone density in advance. The best thing older women can do is, yes, exercise - to keep bone loss to a minimum. Low doses of estrogen actually slow bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures. So, should a woman consider hormone replacement therapy for osteoporosis prevention? The human body is held together by 206 bones, and our experts are on a first-name basis with each and every one. Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedic Center offers many specialized services, including Sports Medicine, the Foot and Ankle Center, the Institute for Joint Replacement and the Osteoporosis Clinic.