Osteoporosis: Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Osteoporosis is very more common in elderly women.

It affects about 25% (1 in 4) of women aged 65 and over and about 5% (1 in 20) of men aged 65 and over.

Silent disease: Many people with osteoporosis do not know they have it until they break a bone. Screening is important to find these people before this happens, so they can take steps to decrease the effects of osteoporosis.

Currently, screening for osteoporosis is recommended for women who are 65 years old or older and for women who are 50 to 64 and have certain risk factors, which include having a parent who has broken a hip.

Your physician can use the FRAX Risk Assessment tool to know, if you should be screened. It uses several factors to determine how likely you are to have osteoporosis.

Screening for osteoporosis is commonly done using a type of low level x-rays called dual energy x-rayabsorptiometry (DEXA) or Bone mineral density (BMD).

Screening also can show if you have low bone mass, meaning your bones are weaker than normal, and are likely to develop osteoporosis.

Prevention strategies

There are steps you can take to improve your bone health and strengthen weak bones:

• Take those medications to strengthen your bones and avoid medications that can make your bones weaker.
• Eat a healthy diet that includes adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D.
• Perform weight-bearing exercises regularly.
• Do not smoke.
• Limit alcohol use.

Don’t wait until you have a broken bone to take steps to improve your bone health—you can start at any age!

You can also take steps to prevent falls, including doing exercises to improve your leg strength and balance, having your eyes checked, and making your home safer.