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Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis
by: News Canada

Osteoporosis is a disorder which makes bones thinner, more fragile and therefore more easily broken. Some basic facts are:

  • One in eight men over the age of 50 has osteoporosis
  • One in four women over 50 also has the disease
  • Osteoporosis disease can strike at any age
  • Osteoporosis can result in disfigurement, lowered self-esteem, reduction or loss of mobility, and decreased independence
  • If a small tumble or a minor mishap leads to broken bones, beware! Fractures of the wrist, hip or shoulder caused by low-trauma events may be a warning sign you have osteoporosis. If in doubt, get a bone density assessment. Diagnosis is a vital first step towards treatment




Osteoporosis is far more common in men than previously thought. The good news: early diagnosis and proper treatment can reduce the risk of broken bones.

"About one in eight men over age 50 has osteoporosis," says Dr. Susan Jaglal, Senior Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Canada's largest provider of adult rehabilitation services. "The disease causes fewer fractures in men than in women, simply because men's bones are thicker. Even so, the number of osteoporosis-related fractures in men is very significant."

Fractures from low-trauma events are the single biggest warning sign. "If a man fractures a bone - especially the wrist - because of a simple fall, he should ask his family doctor for a bone density test," says Dr. Jaglal. "This will determine whether osteoporosis is present."

First-line treatment is a drug called bisphosphonate, which can reduce fractures by between 30 and 50 percent. "Exercise is also vital," says Dr. Jaglal. "Men and women with osteoporosis can strengthen weak bones with weight-bearing exercises such as brisk walking and strengthening exercises such as lifting weights.

"However, people with osteoporosis should avoid high-impact exercises, as well as golf and other sports like tennis which involves sudden twisting or jolting. An individual's exercise options depend on how low his bone density is, so it's important to have a thorough assessment."

Proper diet is also vital to keep bone loss in check. Men and women over age 50 should aim for a daily calcium intake of between 1000 and 1500 mg - the equivalent of about four glasses of milk. "Getting the right amount of dietary calcium can be challenging," says Dr. Jaglal. "Your body can only absorb about 500 mg at a time, so you need to spread your calcium intake over the day. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you the best ways to get the calcium you need."

For more information on the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute visit www.torontorehab.com.

For more information on osteoporosis visit www.osteoporosis.ca.

See our other related articles:

For the latest news about osteoporosis issues, see the news list at the bottom of this web page.

 

News Canada

About The Author

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.


 

 


News about Osteoporosis

These news items are supplied by "Yahoo! News". You can visit them at http://news.yahoo.com/.

 


 


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Note that the contents here are not presented from a medical practitioner, and that any and all health care planning should be made under the guidance of your own medical and health practitioners. The content within only presents an overview of the topics and does not replace medical advice from a professional physician.

Where I have listed the nutritional contents of foods, that information is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2005. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page.

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