What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a common disease that causes a thinning and weakening of the bones and is characterized by reduced bone mass and the disruption of bone architecture that results in increased risks of fragility fractures, which are the main consequences of the disease. It can affect people of any age. Women have the greatest risk of developing the disease, although it also occurs in men. Osteoporosis affects 55% of Indian aged 50 or older; one-half of women and a quarter of men will fracture a bone as a result of low bone density (osteopenia) or osteoporosis.
What are the Risk Factors?
It is called the "Silent Disease" because symptoms are absent in Early Stages. Hence, prevention is critical in this disorder. Suggested lifestyle changes include a diet rich in calcium (up to 1,000–1,200 mg/d) and exposure to sunlight to make or vitamin D supplementation to achieve 800–1,000 IU/d. Regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises are also advocated. Further, avoiding behaviors such as smoking that impair bone health and prevention of falls to avoid fragility fractures are important.
How Can Physiotherapy help?
Physiotherapy plays a very important role in managing osteoporosis which includes thorough assessment, exercise prescription, therapeutic modalities, special techniques, and education. The main aim is to maximize peak bone mass during the phases of childhood to adolescence and in adult and elderly is to increase and conserve bone mass, reduce the risks, reduce pain and improve mobility, balance, and posture. Our goal is to help you manage your osteoporosis on your own and minimize your risk of complications.
Bone loading exercises or force-generating activities are recommended for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). An activity may provide bone loading at one site, but not at another. For instance, jumping involves lower limb bone loading, but not the upper limb. Although all exercise commonly involves some form of loading through muscles and joints, some forms of exercise do not involve targeted bone loading.
Out Treatments includes:
- Developing a comprehensive exercise program that strengthens your bones and muscles to lessen your risk of injury and help you stay independent.
- Teaching proper body movement for your daily activities, including bending and lifting. This lessens your risk of compression fractures in your spine that lead to a stooped posture.
- Assessing your balance and developing a program to help you reduce your risk of falls and of breaking a bone.
- Improving your posture and preventing development or worsening of a forward-stooped posture.
- Recommending how you can continue your exercise program at home so you can manage your osteoporosis on your own.
How will you benefit?
When you follow our recommendations and a home exercise program, you can expect benefits such as:
- Increases muscular, and Bone strength
- Stronger Core
- Better Balance
- Improved Posture
- Improved Flexibility
- Reduces the chance of Fractures
- Reduces the chances of Falls
- Improved confidence, outlook, and quality of life.