What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a health condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break.

It develops slowly over several years and is often only diagnosed when a fall or sudden impact causes a bone to break.

The most common injuries in people with osteoporosis are:

• broken wrist
• broken hip
• broken spinal bones

Breaks can also happen in other bones, such as in the arm or pelvis. Sometimes a cough or sneeze can cause a broken rib or the partial collapse of one of the bones of the spine.

Osteoporosis is not usually painful until a bone is broken, but broken bones in the spine are a common cause of long-term pain.

Although a broken bone is often the first sign of osteoporosis, some older people develop the characteristic bent forward posture. It happens when the bones in the spine have broken, making it difficult to support the weight of the body.

Osteoporosis can be treated with bone-strengthening medicines.

Many of the things that raise your chances for osteoporosis are things you can’t change, like your genes, your age, and your sex. But that doesn’t mean you can’t prevent the disease. The things you do every day can be part of your plan to build strong bones.

Preventing Osteoporosis

If you’re at risk of developing osteoporosis, the following steps can help keep your bones healthy. They include:

Keep your bones healthy through your diet

With well-balanced nutrition, you may be able to get most of the necessary calcium from your diet and fill in the rest with supplements. Don’t forget vitamin D, it helps your body absorb calcium and use it to strengthen your bones.

Exercise

Most of us know that exercise is good for fitness, but did you know it’s great for bone health, too? Exercise helps stimulate the cells responsible for building bones.
To promote bone health, try doing weight-bearing and resistance exercises 3 or 4 days a week.

Build healthy life habits

The choices you make, beginning as early as childhood, can affect your bone health in the future. To protect it, consider limiting your alcohol intake, quit smoking, maintain a healthy weight, stay active and eat a well-balanced diet.

Are you worried about factors in your life that might contribute to bone loss? Talk to your doctor about what you can do now to help prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures in the future.