Osteoporosis: The Invisible Disease

Article submitted by Marsha Berger Grant, PT, MS, OCS of Apex Physical Therapy.
For more information, visit their website: www.apex-pt.com.

There is a silent and invisible disease at work today that many individuals don't even realize they have until they suffer a related injury. The disease is osteoporosis and, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, an estimated 10 million Americans are affected. Eighty percent of them are women.

Osteoporosis is characterized by a reduction in bone mass - often occurring without symptoms - to the point that bones become fragile and weak enough to fracture. Any bone can be affected, but approximately 1 million of the 1.5 million yearly osteoporosis-related fractures occur in the hips and spine.

It is commonly believed osteoporosis is a disease of the elderly, affecting women only after menopause. The truth, however, is that every woman is at risk from the time of her first menstrual period.

Osteopenia, or low bone mass, affects an estimated 18 million Americans and increases their chances of developing osteoporosis. Bone deterioration often accelerates with age. For example, in the years following menopause, women can lose up to 20 percent of their bone mass. But age is only one of many risk factors for osteoporosis.

Risk factors are classified as either fixed or controlled. Fixed factors are those you are born with, such as small bone structure or a family history of the disease. Caucasian and Asian females are also at an increased risk. Controlled factors, on the other hand, are just that: things you can control in your daily life to decrease your risk. Cigarette smoking and frequent alcohol and caffeine consumption can increase your risk. A healthy diet - high in calcium and vitamin D - and regular exercise, in contrast, can decrease risk.

If you think your likelihood of developing either osteopenia or osteoporosis is high, you should consider undergoing a bone density test. This sort of screening is important because critical loss of bone mass can normally go undetected for so long. Bone density tests identify changes in bone mass before a fracture occurs and also predict your chances of fracturing in the future. The test is painless, easy and safe and can be ordered by your family physician or gynecologist upon request.

If you are diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis, physical therapy can be a fundamental form of treatment and prevention. A physical therapist can evaluate your condition and develop an exercise program specific to your needs. They can also outline proper body mechanics in both exercise and daily life. This sort of active lifestyle, with the aid of physical therapy, can increase your bone strength and prevent development of osteoporosis. And if you already have the disease, it can significantly decrease the chances that you will experience fractures in the future.