Building Better Bones
This year over 2 million Americans will suffer fractures from a bone
disease that is probably not giving them any warning signs such as pain
or stiffness.
This year more women in America will suffer
fractures from thinning
bones than women who have heart attacks, strokes and are diagnosed with
breast cancer COMBINED.
Did you know that only 15% of those who have
hip fractures will walk
unaided after the broken hip and that about 30% of those who break their
hip will require long term nursing home care from then on?
Osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) is the
most common bone disease in
the world. In 2010 it impacted over 50 million Americans. By 2020 that
number is expected to exceed 70 million.
The good news is that in recent years
improvements have been made in our
understanding of how to prevent these life-changing fractures. Our
Surgeon General has reported that we can now prevent about half of the 2
million osteoporosis fractures that occur each year.
The bad news is that most of us who are at
highest risk for these
disastrous fractures are ignoring the advise that comes to us from the
Surgeon General, the National Osteoporosis Foundation, and usually from
our family doctors as well.
You see, when we are not having symptoms we
might think that things are
just "peachy keen". But when it comes to bone density,
especially for
women over 64 years of age or men over 69 years, it turns out that the
absence of warning signs creates a false sense of security. We think
that everything is fine, right up until the fracture occurs; then the
quality of our life goes south suddenly and oftentimes permanently.
A simple scan will tell you if your bone
density has started to
deteriorate. And there is a lot that you can do besides taking
medication to build better bones and protect yourself from falling by
improving your posture and balance. There is much to know about
nutrition and how to manage your environment to reduce fall risk.
So my advice is this: don't be too cocky on
the subject of bone health.
Get informed and make good decisions in advance of calamity! Visit the
National Osteoporosis Foundation website, talk to your family doctor or
someone who is qualified to advise you on spinal health and
wellness.
The fracture you prevent could be your own!
Dr. Wayne Bennett is a Board-Certified
Chiropractic Orthopedist at the Bennett
Clinic, Prescott/Prescott Valley AZ