Osteoporosis Has A 36-Million-Strong Fan Club

To put it bluntly, osteoporosis can take you by surprise if you don’t prevent it.

Loss/reduction of bone mass is the main cause for osteoporosis. The condition used to be common only in women, but now even men around the age of forty-five have become its victims.

Why You Should Be Concerned

For someone with osteoporosis, a simple fall can cause a hip, knee or shoulder fracture. This is because the body doesn’t have the required amount of calcium to strengthen the bones, making them vulnerable to even the slightest impact.

An estimated 36 million people suffer from osteoporosis. Lack of physical exercise has been cited as the prime reason. Other risk factors include arthritis, liver disease and excessive sweating that leads to loss of bone mass.

It’s not enough to jump, run, walk or skip to build bone mass. Based on your age, you may also need calcium supplements and Vitamin D. Doctors advise a twenty-minute (minimum) walk in the early morning sunlight to strengthen your bones while absorbing Vitamin D from the sun.

What Causes Osteoporosis?

- Loss of bone mass at the rate of 0.3% after the age of 25-30

- Loss of bone mass at the rate of 3% per annum in postmenopausal women

- Inadequate nutrition during growing years

- Lack of physical activity

- Heredity

- Loss of bone mass due to steroids

What Experts Say

Dr Krishna Kiran Eachempati, Hip and Knee Replacement Surgeon at Maxcure Hospitals explains, "Physical activities like running, jogging, swimming and tennis help maintain bone density. When you jump, the load falls on your body and helps in developing bone mass. The load should fall on your hands, knees and joints so that they become stronger. Adequate exposure to sunlight is also important so that Vitamin D is absorbed by the body."

A Few Prevention Tips

- Opt for foods that aid in increasing bone mass. Fish, paneer, tofu, soya, milk, curd, cheese and eggs are ideal.

- Exercise regularly and opt for physical activities like running, walking, jumping and swimming