Healthy Body

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Breaking = Bad: What You Need to Know About Osteoporosis
May 2020

By Carol Lippert Gray
 
Actresses Sally Field and Blythe Danner have been very public about their struggles with osteoporosis. But many women still don’t understand the risks or specifics regarding prevention. If you're one of these women, please educate yourself because the statistics are alarming. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, “Worldwide, 1 in 3 women over the age of 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures.”

The Mayo Clinic reports, “Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle - so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses such as bending over or coughing can cause a fracture.” These fractures usually occur in the wrist, hip, or spine.
 
It’s often called a “silent disease” because you frequently don’t know you have it until after you’ve broken something. But it affects approximately 10 million Americans, and an additional 44 million have low bone density, placing them at increased risk. For women, particularly those over 50, the number of cases exceeds heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer combined. 
 
Osteoporosis-related fractures affect quality of life and daily functioning. The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) says about 75,000 Americans who have had a hip fracture die in the subsequent year. Another 75,000 move from a hospital to a nursing home and never return “home.” And 150,000 never regain previous function. For example, six months after a hip fracture, only 15 percent of patients can walk across a room without assistance.
 
In addition to the human costs, there are escalating medical-related costs. The NOF says that by 2040, experts predict those costs to hit $95 billion annually (up from $52 billion in 2018).

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Risk Factors
 
According to the Mayo Clinic, unchangeable risks include:
 

• Your Gender: Women are more likely than men to develop osteoporosis.
• Your Age: The older you get, the greater your risk.
• Your Race: White and Asian women are at greatest risk.
• Your Family History: Having a parent or sibling with the condition increases your risk, especially if your mother or father fractured a hip.
• Your Body Frame Size. People who have small body frames tend to have a higher risk because they may have less bone mass to draw from as they age.

 
Certain hormone levels, thyroid problems, and overactive parathyroid and adrenal glands are also associated with osteoporosis risk, as are some other medical conditions. Dietary factors, such as low calcium intake, eating disorders, and gastrointestinal surgery, increase risk, too. And certain steroids and other medications can interfere with the body’s ability to rebuild bone.
 
Prevention
 
It seems clear, then, that avoiding osteoporosis should be on everyone’s self-care radar. “Establishing and maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine are essential at every stage of life,” says Dr. Andrea J. Singer, chief medical officer of NOF and the director of Women’s Primary Care and the director of Bone Densitometry in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC.
 
In addition to maintaining proper nutrition (including adequate amounts of calcium and Vitamin D), if you are a postmenopausal woman and have broken a bone due to a fall from a standing height or less, “you should speak with your healthcare provider about getting a bone density test. Otherwise, the ‘welcome to Medicare’ package includes coverage of a bone density test for women when they turn 65,” Dr. Singer says.
 
A bone density test, she adds, “is the best way to diagnose osteoporosis before a broken bone occurs. This test helps to estimate the density of your bones and the chance of breaking one.”
 
If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, Dr. Singer suggests, “First and foremost, it is crucial to speak with your healthcare provider so together you can develop a bone health action plan. Continual education and evaluation of your lifestyle habits - including diet and exercise - are key. Additionally, you should discuss your risk of fracture and whether medication is necessary to prevent further bone loss and broken bones. It is never too late to treat.”

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RESOURCES:
 
National Osteoporosis Foundation: This site has a wealth of educational content for consumers and healthcare professionals.

Among its tips:

• Get the calcium and Vitamin D you need every day.
• Do regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises.
• Don’t smoke and don’t drink too much alcohol.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about your chance of getting osteoporosis and ask when you should have a bone density test.
• Take an osteoporosis medication when it’s right for you.

 
Additionally, you will find:

• Building Strength Together Support Groups: These provide an opportunity to share information, feelings, and goals to help you maintain an active, independent life, even with osteoporosis.
• The NOF’s Online Community: This is hosted by Inspire and connects over 50,000 members. It’s a forum where patients and caregivers can share advice and support.
• NOF Store: Offers a variety of brochures and pocket guides, DVDs, and partner products.
• Cookbook: Healthy Bones: Build Them for Life.
• NOF Fast Fact Sheet 

 
Mayo Clinic: Symptoms, Causes, Risks
 
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Risks and Treatments
 
National Institutes of Health: Risks, Testing, Prevention
 
American Bone Health: Lots of educational material and latest in testing
 
Sally Field’s Story
 
Blythe Danner’s Story

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Carol Lippert Gray is an award-winning public relations professional and longtime freelance writer and editor. She has been published in fields as diverse as crafts and corporate finance, parenting and philanthropy. She is also a regular contributor for Sanctuary.