Osteoporosis is when the bones in your body weaken and lose its strength. This in turn will put
you at a much higher risk to have broken bones, especially in the elderly. This disease affects worldwide causes more than 8.9 million fractures a year, resulting in an osteoporotic fracture every 3seconds affected. There is over eight million women and over two million men in the United States alone.
which increases in numbers each year! We will briefly go over many of the factors regarding
this condition such as what causes it, who’s at risk and how you can prevent this from happening
to you.
Your bones are your body’s support structure and frame. Bones are constantly remodeling themselves by absorbing old bone and replacing it with new bone. By your mid -30s, however, your
body starts to lose more bone than it replaces. You might wonder what causes your bones to weaken? Here is a list of risk factors that contribute to this disease according to AAOS (American
Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons) such as advancing age, history, unhealthy lifestyle choices and taking certain medications.
Osteoporosis comes with a considerable number of risk factors. Some can
be in control while others cannot. Examples of those that cannot be controlled is a female
experiencing menopause, women that are Caucasian and/or of Asian origin. Also risk factors
associated with this disease is history of age related height loss, broken bones (American
Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons) which affect 50 percent of women and 25 percent of men
older than 50 that will experience a broken bone because of osteoporosis. The most serious
injury is a broken hip, which can affect a person’s movement, quality of life, and carries a high
risk of death.
Good news is there are things you can do to prevent Osteoporosis! Steps you can take involves living a healthy lifestyle, including eating a bone-friendly diet and exercising regularly.
Make sure you have enough vitamin D and calcium which are bone-strengthening nutrients. (National Institutes of Health) Exercise stimulates bone tissue to grow stronger. Some activities that
you can do are hiking, jogging, lifting weights and dancing to name a few. Refraining from smoking or drinking can excessively help prevent or at least reduce your chances of getting it.
Make sure to always talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program to ensure your safety and to prevent injuries. You have only one body and it is important to make sure that you take
care of it. By incorporating these tips, you can be prepared on how to treat and prevent yourself from getting Osteoporosis.
By: Deborah Simms and Franklin Lewars
Article Sources:
Osteoporosis.(2013,March) National Institutes of Health
Osteoporosis: Treatment and Drugs. (2011,December 13)
