What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a medical condition characterised by abnormally thin, weakened and easily broken bones. It is considered a ‘silent disease’ as your bones gradually weakens with typically no obvious symptoms, such as pain. Pain often only develops when your posture changes or your bones break. This occurs when the weakening and thinning of your bones become so excessive that the pressure of your weight, gravity and/or daily activities become too difficult to bear.
Why is Osteoporosis dangerous?
Osteoporosis is a medical concern as it can commonly cause:
– Hip, pelvis or spine fractures with no or minimal force
– Moderate to severe bodily pain
– Hunching in the elderly
Important: Those experiencing Osteopenia are also at risk of the above medical concerns. Osteopenia is the stage where your bones begin to weaken, but have not yet reached the Osteoporosis stage where the weakening is advanced.
What are the risk factors for getting Osteoporosis?
– Having its family history
– Being female and going through menopause
– Aging
– Having poor intake or absorption of calcium and vitamin D
– Being underweight or overweight
– Not completing regular strength training and performing impact-related exercises
– Taking Corticosteroids for longer than 3 months
What should you do if you have Osteoporosis?
- Get physically strong and keep your bones healthy: you can do this by performing a minimum of 20 minutes of strength and impact exercises three times a week.
- Train your balance and prevent your risk of a fall: Stand and dance for at least 10 minutes every day. By keeping your body physically strong, you are less likely to fall, which means no sudden force through vulnerable bones.
- Sunbathing: Spend 15-30 minutes in the sun to obtain optimal Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from food, which ultimately strengthens your skeleton.
- Drink between 1-2 glasses of milk, or calcium-fortified milk alternatives: Milk and fortified milk alternatives are rich in calcium which will aid in increasing bone strength.
At MoveImprove Performance we provide specialized Osteoporosis programs for all those wanting stronger and healthier bones. Contact us to find out how our team of mobile physiotherapists can help you improve your health and manage your Osteoporosis.
References:
Kistler-Fischbacher, M, et al. (2021). ‘The effect of exercise intensity on bone in Postmenopausal women (part 1): A systematic review. Doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2020.115696.
Porter, J, et al. (2023). Osteoporosis. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441901/
