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Osteoporosis. What Women Should Know

Updated on November 5, 2018


Don’t ignore your risk. Osteoporosis could change your life.

When it comes to osteoporosis, there’s no such thing as “just a broken bone”. Bone breaks due to osteoporosis can happen in critical parts of the body, including the hip, pelvis and spine.1 Even one broken bone can have devastating effects—from the inability to participate in favorite activities, to chronic pain, to hospitalizations.

For many women who are past menopause, one bone break is just the beginning. That's because women are 5x more likely to suffer another bone break within a year after their first break.2 Bone breaks can mean having to be dependent on others for help doing simple things like using the restroom or taking a shower.3 About 1 in 3 women still need help walking, even up to 2 years after the fracture,4 and 1 in 4 go to a nursing home.5


Broken bones due to osteoporosis are more common than you think.

Medical experts have declared a crisis in osteoporosis. Globally, 1 in 3 women over the age of 50 will have an osteoporosis-related bone break in her lifetime.6

Age is one of the biggest risk factors for osteoporosis.7 In fact, postmenopausal women can lose up to 20% of their bone density within 5-7 years after menopause.7 While calcium, diet, and exercise are important, they are often not enough to prevent a bone break if you have osteoporosis, which is why you should ask your doctor to check your bone health even if you “feel” healthy.8 Now's the time to be proactive about your bone health.


Are you at risk for a bone break due to osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is often described as a “silent” disease because you may not notice symptoms until it’s too late.7 Don’t wait until you break a bone to know your risk. If you are postmenopausal and have more than one of the common risk factors listed below,9-11 schedule an appointment with your doctor.

  • Previous bone break as an adult
  • Advanced age
  • Low bone mineral density (BMD)
  • Family history of osteoporosis
  • Low body weight
  • Loss of height
  • Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D
  • Inactive lifestyle
  • Too much caffeine or alcohol
  • Smoking

Know your risk of breaking a bone. Ask your doctor for a bone density scan.

References
  1. International Osteoporosis Foundation. Gaps and solutions in bone health: a global framework for improvement. http://share.iofbonehealth.org/WOD/2016/thematic-report/WOD16-report-WEB-EN.pdf. Accessed 4/19/2018.
  2. van Geel TA, van Helden S, Geusens PP, Winkens B, Dinant GJ. Clinical subsequent fractures cluster in time after first fractures. Ann Rheum Dis. 2009;68:99-102.
  3. National Osteoporosis Society. Life with osteoporosis: the untold story. https://nos.org.uk/media/1859/life-with-osteoporosis.pdf. Accessed 4/20/2018.
  4. Magaziner J, Hawkes W, Hebel R, et al. Recovery From Hip Fracture in Eight Areas of Function. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2000;55(9):M498-M507.
  5. Leibson CL, Tosteson AN, Gabriel SE, Ransom JE, Melton LJ. Mortality, disability, and nursing home use for persons with and without hip fracture: a population-based study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002;50(10):1644-1650.
  6. Melton LJ, Atkinson EJ, O'Connor MK, O'Fallon WM, Riggs BL. Bone density and fracture risk in men. J Bone Miner Res. 1998;13(12):1915-1923.
  7. National Osteoporosis Foundation. Bone health basics. https://www.nof.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/. Accessed 4/18/2018.
  8. National Institutes of Health. Calcium and vitamin D. https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/bone-health/nutrition/calcium-and-vitamin-d-important-every-age. Accessed 4/18/2018.
  9. National Osteoporosis Foundation. Clinician's Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis. Washington, DC: National Osteoporosis Foundation; 2013.
  10. Camacho PM, Petak SM, Binkley N, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis—2016. Endocr Pract. 2016;22(Suppl 4):1-42.
  11. National Osteoporosis Foundation. Are You At Risk? https://www.nof.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/bone-basics/are-you-at-risk/. Accessed May 16, 2018.

Updated on November 5, 2018

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