Vital Steps Wellness Program:
Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition where there is decreased quantity of bone tissue, causing your bones to become weak and more likely to fracture.

By the age of 30, an adult man or woman reaches maximum bone growth and continues to form enough new bone tissue to balance the amount of bone tissue that is broken down and absorb by the body. After menopause in women, and in some older men, there may be breakdown of bone leading to osteoporosis. In people with osteoporosis, this balanced process is lost, more bone is broken down than is formed and the bones become extremely weak.

Over a lifetime, bones become thinner and some of the supporting connections are lost. Bones weigh less and can handle less stress. They can, therefore, break or fracture much more easily such as from a fall from a standing position to the ground. Fractures can occur as the hip, spine, wrist and other body parts. Because the bone is weak, these are known as fragility fractures.

Osteopenia is a more moderate decrease in the amount of bone quantity – less than in osteoporosis. If a person has osteopenia, there are things they can do to prevent further bone loss.

How Does It Affect Me?

The good news is that the risk factors for osteoporosis is well understood and in many cases controlled. Risk factors include: improper diet, lack of exercise, smoking, excessive use of alcohol, having a small frame, advanced age, family history of the disease, and a history of anorexia nervosa or low calcium intake. The importance of taking all these risk factors into account in developing strategy, the need to stop smoking and reduce drinking, to exercise and eat well, and to get the appropriate vitamins and minerals into diets, will help reduce the incidence of many other diseases as well.

Nutrients and dietary habits help to promote calcium retention and strong bones. By getting enough calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients including phosphates and magnesium, individuals are more likely to build strong bones. A diet that is low in salt and full of fruits and vegetables can help to minimize the amount of calcium loss from the bone via the urine. The net result should be a maximization of peak bone mass, minimal bone loss, and good body weight management. However, most individuals are not getting adequate levels of calcium. In fact, after age 11, males and females, fall below recommended levels.

What Effect Will Exercise Have On It?

The unique role that exercise can play in building bones, preventing falls, and reducing fracture risk cannot be ignored. Focusing primarily upon exercise during youth and early adulthood are central to bone development and maintenance. Bone building exercise need to be specific to help in the development of strong bones and involves increasing activities such as aerobics, fast paced walking, jumping, etc.

Exercise early in life appear to provide lasting benefits, as adults who engage in impact exercise during their youth have greater bone mass than those who do not. You can stimulate tissue development through physical activity such as squatting, the use of the treadmill, and various other machinery.

Studies of pre-menopausal women show that exercises such: as rowing, upper-body lifting, use of a weighted vest combined with impact exercise, controlled impact exercises such as jumping and step aerobics all increase spine, leg and hip bone density and benefits can be had in as little as 5-10 minutes of exercise 5 days a week. Adults must continue to exercise to maintain the benefits because studies have shown that adults lose 1-3% of bone mass within three to six months of ending an exercise regimen. So, the mantra when it comes to bone tissue, "If you don't use it, you lose it."