Waking up with injuries sustained from osteoporosis can make for a strictly limited day and an agony-filled evening.
As dramatic as it sounds, this is the painful reality for as many as 9 million individuals who suffer from the disease.
“We start to lose bone density after age 50,” says Katie Schwegmann, physical therapist at neuro-musculoskeletal care center OrthoNeuro. “The most susceptible groups are post-menopausal females, individuals with low body mass and those who are inactive. Osteoporosis doesn’t cause pain initially, but the fractures that come after are very painful.”
The disease is defined as a 30 percent loss of bone mineral density and bone mass, Schwegmann says. But diagnosing the disease is difficult until someone actually suffers a break.
“A fracture is the first real sign of osteoporosis,” says Dr. Brian Davison, orthopedic surgeon at Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute. “We are able to perform bone mineral density tests to see who is at risk.”
There is hope for those living with osteoporosis, and in comes in the form of a new teriparatide drug: Forteo.
“Forteo started a few years ago in Europe and it helps to build bone,” says Dr. Timothy Duffey, an orthopedic surgeon at OrthoNeuro. “The only problem is expense. This drug can cost thousands of dollars.”
Simple measures can be taken to avoid the disease – and, with it, the costs associated with bone density loss. Davison advises young people to get adequate calcium and vitamin D so their bones are as healthy as possible before they hit peak bone mass around age 35; 40 percent of adults are deficient in those two categories, he says.
While vitamin and mineral supplements are available, the body best absorbs nutrition through natural methods.
“If possible, get your vitamins through food,” Davison says. “Increased intake of dairy and leafy greens should provide adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium.”
For those who are lactose intolerant, supplements may be the only alternative to dairy products. In addition, vitamin D can be synthesized through exposure to sunlight, and lack of outside activity can lead to vitamin D deficiency, Davison says.
“As we, as a society, do less, we get less sun and get less healthy,” he says.
Vitamin D is fortified in the foods we eat, including cereals and milk, but Americans still have trouble reaching their daily nutritional needs, Duffey says.
“We’re putting this vitamin (vitamin D) in a lot of the things we eat, but we’re still not getting enough,” he says. “That could be due to low intake, low GI absorption levels or just not getting enough sunlight.”
Building a good foundation for your bones early in life is the key to avoiding osteoporosis and low bone density, Davison says. As we age, it becomes more and more difficult for our bodies to absorb vitamins and minerals.
Bones, like muscles, can benefit from being worked and having force applied to them. Weight-bearing exercises can boost bone health.
“Our bones build with stress,” Davison says. “It’s good to find a well-directed walking or lifting program. However, too much impact can cause fractures if that person isn’t ready for high-intensity. It is best to ease into it.”
Certain daily tasks can lead to fractures, so preventative measures are recommended by therapists to keep risk as low as possible. Rugs and mats, for instance, can increase the risk of falling and are discouraged, Schwegmann says, while individuals are encouraged to prepare for sudden movements.
“I tell patients to always sit up straight if they cough or sneeze, to hinge at their hips to lift things, and to turn their whole in one direction to cut back on twisting motions,” she says.
One need not check in with a doctor or wait until an accident to gauge one’s bone density. An online application called Fracture Risk Assessment Tool, or FRAX, weighs a person’s risks and lays out his or her susceptibility to osteoporosis.
“Anyone can go online, put in their demographics – height, weight, sex and age – and some other risk factors, including alcohol and tobacco use,” Duffey says. “It then gives you a FRAX score and a person can find out if they’re bone healthy, if they may be at risk or if they should see a doctor immediately.”
An “at-risk” score means one should start osteoporosis-preventive measures.
“The first step, if you have a good bone density score, is to have vitamin D and calcium in the diet, at adequate levels, for a year,” Duffey says. “If your bone density score lowers and your absorption gets worse, it’s best to see a doctor.”
This tool is available at www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX
Raising one’s bone health score and overall bone density is relatively simple, Duffey says. Steps that can be taken on a daily basis may impact a person for his or her entire life.
“Get out and exercise in the sun,” he says. “Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D and calcium, and you should be good to go.”
Stephan Reed is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Vitamin D
Daily recommended dosage: 600 IU for those ages 70 and under, 800 IU for those older than 70. 400-1,100 IU for fracture prevention.
Food sources:
- Salmon, eggs, fortified milk, cod liver oil, oysters, ham.
- *10 minutes of sunlight daily may prevent deficiency.
Calcium
Daily recommended dosage: up to 800 mg. for children, 800-1,200 mg. for adults, 1,200 mg. for pregnant and breast-feeding women.
Food sources:
- -Nonfat, dry milk (1 cup): 375 mg.
- -Lowfat, skim or whole milk (1 cup): 290-300 mg.
- -Yogurt (1 cup): 275-400 mg.
- -Sardines with bones (3 oz.): 370 mg.
- -Ricotta cheese (1/2 cup): 340 mg.
- -Salmon (3 oz.): 285 mg.
- -Kale, turnip greens, spinach.
(Source: www.Mayoclinic.com)
