Osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures annually worldwide. That’s one fracture occurring every three seconds.
The condition involves a reduction of strength in your bones. You lose bone after age 50, and your bone strength is compromised. A minor trip or fall can cause a fracture.
The current recommendation for women over 65 and men over 70 is to undergo a bone density test if one hasn’t yet been administered. This is a non-invasive procedure and takes 10 minutes. The score determines your bone density. It’s best to look at the spine and hip for density.
If you’re younger but have risk factors for fractures, you should also get a bone density test. Risk factors include a parent who has broken a hip, drinking more than three alcoholic beverages per day, smoking cigarettes, taking certain medications like prednisone or aromatase inhibitors, and having other specific medical conditions.
Fracture Prevention
- Lead a clean life.
- Don’t smoke.
- Don’t drink to excess.
- Live an active life.
- Exercise improves bone density.
- Get calcium rich foods in your diet.
- Boost your vitamin D levels if your blood test shows low levels.
Listen as Dr. Ethel Siris joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how to prevent osteoporotic fractures.
Dr. Ethel Siris is the immediate past president of the National Osteoporosis Foundation and currently serves on the Board of Trustees of both the National Osteoporosis Foundation in the U.S. and the International Osteoporosis Foundation.