Osteoporosis is weakening and softening of bone.
This blog was prompted by a client whom we recently saw who had early onset osteoporosis at the age of 49! Her bone density was nearly 3 standard deviation lower than the normal. She also has difficulty gaining weight. Furthermore, because of a myriad of other compounding painful symptoms she had, hydrotherapy was the ideal management for her.
So, what is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is weakening and softening of bone, causing them to become brittle, leading to a higher risk of fractures than in normal bone. It is a common condition affecting over 1 million Australians, mainly in the ageing population and interestingly, more women than men. Diagnosing osteoporosis is done with a simple scan called a bone density test. Prevention and finding out early if you have osteoporosis means you can manage your bone health. This can be done with a combination or dietary, exercise and lifestyle changes. Ensure you’re receiving adequate vitamin intake in your diet, in particular calcium and vitamin D (also can be sourced from measured sun exposure). Regular physical activity can prevent and manage osteoporosis, with weight bearing exercises having particular significance. Lifestyles changes such as quitting smoking and cutting back on alcohol may also reduce your risk.
If you want to learn more about what My Rehab Team can do for you with managing or preventing osteoporosis have a chat to our friendly mobile dietician or one of our mobile physiotherapists today. Our mobile occupational therapist can help you improve the safety of your home environment to help prevent falls.
Call 1300 469 734 or email info@myrehabteam.com.au
Source: http://www.osteoporosis.org.au/
Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
