Known as a silent disease because there are typically no symptoms before a fracture, osteoporosis is the most common cause of fractures in postmenopausal women and older men.
Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mineral density. While many people are unaware that they have the condition until they break a bone, it’s important to be proactive and both monitor bone density and take steps to maintain bone health.
“We often see patients who come in with an orthopaedic fracture and they don’t realize it’s a sign of osteopenia or osteoporosis,” said Endeavor Health orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Kiera Kingston, MD.
Fragility fractures: A warning sign you shouldn’t ignore
Almost all hip fractures are what’s known as fragility fractures, where the bone breaks from a minimal impact. When you have big bones that shouldn’t be breaking, this is an obvious sign of poor bone quality, explained Dr. Kingston.
And people with fragility fractures are at risk for further breaks, which often lead to an array of negative health and quality of life consequences.
Bone density tests — DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scans — are generally recommended for women over 65 and men over 70, but younger people who have already sustained a fragility fracture could benefit from an earlier scan, said Dr. Kingston.
Why early detection matters for bone health
We reach maximum bone density between the ages of 20 and 30, so it’s vital to do what you can to maintain bone health and slow down bone loss as much as possible as you age.
“It’s important to have a conversation with your primary care physician or specialist to learn more about your bone health and important prevention strategies to help maintain bone density,” said Dr. Kingston.
“There are many great medications today that help protect and promote bone health; there are more options than there used to be and they can significantly change the trajectory of your bone health.”
Vitamin D testing
Maintaining adequate levels of calcium and vitamin D is essential to bone health. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and, as most people living in the Midwest are vitamin D deficient, Dr. Kingston believes in regular vitamin D testing.
“Getting up to a normal level of vitamin D is an easy thing to modify early on,” said Dr. Kingston. “It promotes bone healing in fractures in addition to promoting bone health going forward. Making people more aware of the importance of Vitamin D can hopefully help prevent some of the fragility fractures we see.”
Simple lifestyle changes to strengthen your bones
In addition to taking in enough calcium and vitamin D, other strategies to improve bone health are:
- Stay physically active with weight-bearing exercises, including walking, running and lifting weights, or resistance training with bands.
- Don’t smoke
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, dairy and sufficient protein
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