Bone Up On Osteoporosis
by Sharon Lewis
Osteoporosis, meaning porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass.
It leads to fragile bones and an increased susceptibility to hip, spine and wrist
fractures, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Nearly 10 million Americans already have osteoporosis, and 18 million more have
low bone mass, placing them at risk for the disease. While women are four times
more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, men also suffer from the disease.
"We create bone mass from the day we're born," says Dr. William Abraham, an orthopedic
surgeon with Tri Rivers Surgical Associates in Pittsburgh. Each year until about
age 30 or 35 we accumulate bone mass, he says. After that, men and women lose bone
mass at approximately the same rate.
"It's like building a wall out of bricks," he says. "The more bricks you put into
your wall in the beginning, the stronger your wall will be when the bricks start
to age." To keep bones strong, everyone needs:
- Calcium, a mineral that gives bone its strength
- Vitamin D to help absorb the calcium
- Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, running and weightlifting, to stimulate
the body to form new bone cells
"An older person's bones are less capable of standing up to the stress of a fall,"
says Abraham. There is also an inherent unwillingness to accept that we're aging.
When we neglect to make minor adaptions that may prevent us from falling, serious
injuries are bound to occur.
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2000 issue of Family Safety & Health.
