Osteoporosis, which literally means porous bone, is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced. As bones become more porous and fragile, the risk of the fracture is greatly increased. The loss of bone occurs silently and progressively. Often there are no symptoms until the first fracture occurs. 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 will break a bone as a result of osteoporosis.
Early signs of osteoporosis
- Receding gums
- Decreased grip strength
- Weak and brittle fingernails
- Cramps, muscle aches and bone pains
- Height loss
- Low overall fitness
Reduce the risk of osteoporosis
- Healthy diet
- Get plenty of calcium and vitamin D
- Regular exercise
- Don’t drink too much alcohol
- Stop smoking
- Balance exercises – to reduce the risk of falling
Activities
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Weight bearing exercises, on your feet, are good for osteoporosis including:
- aerobics
- dancing
- gardening
- jogging
- tennis and other racquet sports
- running
- tai chi
- walking
- yoga
Useful links
- www.osteoporosis.org.au
- www.nof.org
- http://theros.org.uk
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoporosis/