Increased Lower Extremity Fracture Risk with Osteoporosis
John D. Goodner D.P.M. is a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon. He specializes in treating foot, ankle, and leg injuries in children, teenagers, and adults. He is trained to perform the latest minimally invasive and arthroscopic surgical techniques. Growing up locally in Broward County, he was a two-sport varsity letterman... more
Very few adults at risk for advanced bone loss and fracture are participating in necessary testing to determine the extent of their bone density decline. With a large volume of the population being over the age of 50, patients who fail to be proactive regarding their bone health fall into the fast growing category of undiagnosed osteoporosis resulting in a broken bones. If this trend is not soon reversed it will be considered an issue of epidemic proportions.
Failure to diagnose osteoporotic bone changes early in ones life and make the necessary lifestyle modifications results in a devastating increase in the number of broken bones, medical office visits, hospital and nursing home admissions and premature deaths. About 20-30% of patients die within a year following a hip fracture. Of those who survive, about 50% will never be able to ambulate without assistance and 25% will require long term care. Avoid this costly injury, prevent the financial and emotional burden on yourself and your family by taking control of your bone health early.
Prevention through early diagnosis starts with patient education on:
- The importance of knowing your bone density scores
- Seeing a doctor regularly to monitor the stability of your osteopenia to make sure it does not worsen to osteoporosis
- Adequate consumption of calcium and vitamin D, speak with your primary doctor about medication when osteoporosis is severe. Drug treatment benefits outweighs the risks when the patient is considered high risk for breaking a major bone
- Weight training is optimal for bone health in addition to your daily exercise routine
- Maintain Balance and Proprioception through training exercises to avoid debilitating falls
- Make sure your living environment and bathrooms are safe to avoid slip and fall accidents
- Have a safety system set up in case you do fall
Reference:
Brody, Jane. A Perfect Storm for Broken Bones. Personal Health. Well. Feb 12 2018. The New York Times.
