Part of our treatment process involves educating each of our patients. This not only assists in the recovery process, but also aids in the prevention of further injuries. So in this week’s Therapy Talk we will discuss a little bit about osteoporosis, what it is, who is affected, and osteoporosis treatments.
So what is Osteoporosis exactly?
Osteoporosis is a condition where thinning bones become weak and brittle. Common symptoms often include stooped posture, loss of height, back pain, and bone fracture. Anyone with osteoporosis potentially runs a high risk of a bone fracture to occur. The most common places where an osteoporotic fracture can develop are in the hip, wrist, forearm, ankles, and back bones.
Who is affected?
Over 54 million Americans worldwide are affected by this condition. The National Osteoporosis Foundation predicts that this number will rise to 71.2 million by the year 2030. Women who are over the age of 50 with a low body weight are most likely at risk for osteoporosis. Furthermore, one in three women will experience osteoporotic fractures and one in five men will experience an osteoporotic fracture within their lifetime. That being said, an osteoporotic fracture happens once every three seconds, resulting in over 8.9 million annual occurrences.
Osteopenia is often considered the “precursor” to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis and osteopenia are related conditions linked to bone loss. Academy Award winning Actress Gwyneth Paltrow experienced her own battle with osteopenia. Paltrow wrote in a recent post: “I suffered a pretty severe tibial plateau fracture a few years ago (requiring surgery) which lead the Orthopaedic Surgeon to give me a bone scan, at which point it was discovered I had the beginning stages of osteopenia. This led my western/eastern doctors in New York to test my Vitamin D levels, which turned out to be the lowest they had ever seen (not a good thing). I went on a prescription strength level of Vitamin D and was told to…spend a bit of time in the sun.”
So what are the Treatments for Osteoporosis?
We at Trilogy Therapy Services in Dover, Arkansas recommend that anyone with osteoporosis focus on healthy dieting, weight-bearing exercise, and medication to prevent any further bone loss. Supervision by one of our licensed physical therapists is recommended and advised to prevent any additional fractures. If you have any further question and are ready to contact someone in the Russellville, Dover, Little Rock areas, please give us a call at: (479) 331-3303 or come visit us at our location: 8952 Market Street, Suite 7b, Dover, AR 72837. We look forward to hearing from you.