Health Center :: Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone in which the bone mineral density is reduced, causing bones to become fragile and break easily. Fractures from osteoporosis typically occur in the hip, spine or wrist and are due to slight stresses that would not cause fractures in otherwise healthy individuals.

Unlike arthritis, which leads to problems within joints due to cartilage wear, osteoporosis is a problem of the bone itself, and its ability to adequately support the weight of your body.

How do you know if you have osteoporosis?
Bone loss occurs without symptoms.  So, many people with osteoporosis simply do not realize that they have it until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump or fall causes a fracture or a vertebra to collapse. 

While there are rarely obvious symptoms associated with osteoporosis, tests can be done to check for bone mass and density.

How does osteoporosis occur?
There is no single cause of osteoporosis. Our bodies constantly build and remove bone. After age 30 or 40 the cells that build new bone do not keep up with those that remove bone. The total amount of bone then decreases, and osteoporosis may develop.
There are certain risk factors associated with osteoporosis and it is important to note that long-term choices and activities (or lack thereof) can contribute to the onset of osteoporosis.

Known risk factors for osteoporosis include: 

• Age and Gender:  After age 30 or 40 there is a gradual loss of bone.  At first the loss is gradual but as we age the risk for loss increases.  Women, especially those with estrogen deficiencies which may be caused by hysterectomy or menopause, are at an increased risk.  However, low testosterone levels in some men make them susceptible as well.
• Heredity:  The risk of developing osteoporosis is believed to be higher if other relatives have been diagnosed.  This is especially true of women whose mothers have osteoporosis.
• Nutrition:  Low calcium or vitamin D in your diet, especially during your growth years increases your risk of developing osteoporosis.  Because calcium aids bone formation and vitamin D is needed to help the body absorb calcium and maintain bone they are both necessary for maintaining healthy bones.
• Medications:  Certain medications may increase the risk of developing osteoporosis. Some of the more common medications like prescriptions drugs used for asthma, lung disease, arthritis, and allergies may increase risk your risk for bone density loss.  Talk with your physician about the impact of any medications you may be prescribed.
• Cigarettes:  Smoking cigarettes may double the risk of developing osteoporosis mostly due to its estrogen-lowering affect.
• Lack of regular exercise: Regular exercise helps to delay osteoporosis and can even reverse its progression while the lack of exercise can make people much more vulnerable to osteoporosis. Exercise, especially weight-bearing activity such as walking, stimulates the bone cells to be more active and to produce stronger bone. Without weight-bearing activity, bones may become less dense and weaken.

How can osteoporosis be prevented or treated?

There are many things that you can do from early childhood and beyond to reduce the risk or impact of osteoporosis.  Even after diagnosis of osteoporosis there are measures that you can take to slow the progress of the disease.  This includes:

• Proper nutrition:  Ensure that your diet is rich in calcium and vitamin D.  This can help strengthen bones.
• Avoiding smoking.
• Talk with your doctor about the medications you are taking. 
• Strengthen, stretch and move:  Getting plenty of exercise can greatly decrease your risk of osteoporosis as well as help prevent fractures if you have already been diagnosed.  But it is important to get the right type of exercise. 

Because of the varying degrees of osteoporosis and the risk of fracture, certain weight-bearing, strengthening and flexibility exercises may be unsuitable. Consult your doctor or physical therapist to find out which exercises are most appropriate for you

There are typically three types of exercise recommended for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis:

•  Weight-bearing activities include those for which you are on your feet, with your bones supporting your weight. Examples include walking, dancing, and hiking. These types of exercise work directly on the bones in your legs, hips and lower spine to slow mineral loss. Just thirty minutes of weight-bearing exercise, three times a week, has been shown to increase bone mineral density, and reduce the risk of falls by strengthening the major muscle groups in the legs and back.
• Strengthening exercises help build bone density, muscle power and decrease mineral loss in bones. Just as a muscle gets stronger and bigger the more you use it, a bone becomes stronger and denser when you use them more. Strength-training not only builds bone but also reduces the risk of fractures by improving strength and balance to prevent falls.  Even small increases can make a big difference in improving your ability to do things like get up from a chair or climb stairs.
• Flexibility or Stretching exercises increase joint mobility and improve posture.  These exercises help increase the mobility of your joints, another key component of overall fitness. Being able to bend, stretch and easily use your joints helps you prevent muscle injury. Increased flexibility can also help improve your posture.

NOTE:  Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.  A fitness assessment may be necessary prior to choosing certain activities.

These products have proven helpful in supporting activities that stimulate new bone formation: