Osteoporosis, Fractures & BoneFit™

While hip fractures are most commonly the result of a fall, vertebral fractures are not as likely to arise from a fall; in fact only one third of vertebral fractures result from falling.  Vertebral fractures can arise from accidents or lifting heavy objects, but nearly 60% are spontaneous and not related to a single incident or event.

Fragility fractures or ‘low-trauma’ fractures are both referring to a fracture resulting from a fall from standing height or equivalent degree of trauma.  This can include slipping on ice, tripping and falling, lifting something, coughing and/sneezing.  Usual sites of osteoporotic fractures include: ribs, wrist, spine, hip and humerus.  The reported lifetime fragility fracture risk is 1:2 for women and 1:8 for men.

THE BARE BONES TRUTH:

·       1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 have low bone density (osteoporosis/osteopenia)

·       At least 80% of fractures in people over the age of 60 are related to osteoporosis

·       80% of hip fractures are osteoporosis related

·       A 50 year old woman has a 40% chance of developing hip, vertebral or wrist fractures during her lifetime

·       23% of patients who fracture a hip die in less than 1 year

·       Hip Fractures result in death in up to 20% of patients

·       Hip Fractures result in disability in 50% of those who survive

·       The lifetime risk of hip fracture is greater (1 in 6) than the 1 in 9 lifetime risk of developing breast/prostate cancer

·       Patients are at highest risk for subsequent fracture in the first few months following a vertebral fracture

·       1 in 5 women who have a new vertebral fracture will fracture again within one year

WHO SHOULD BE ASSESSED FOR RISK OF FRACTURE?

·       Women and men over 50

·       Anyone over 50 who has experienced a fragility fracture

·       Post-menopausal women with a fragility fracture

·       Those using medication with bone density changes as a possible side effect

·       Female athletes exhibiting the female athlete triad of symptoms (disordered eating, amenorrhea, low bone mineral density (BMD)

·       Those suffering from Anorexia Nervosa (90% have low BMD at 1 site)

·       People with systemic diseases that may affect uptake of needed vitamins and minerals necessary for proper bone health (bowel disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, endocrine disorders, uncontrolled diabetes, long-term asthmatics, etc.)

·       Men and women with low sex hormone levels

·       Paediatric populations who suffer from diseases like Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy, and children on long-term glucocorticoid therapy, or children with immobilized areas of the body

EXERCISE FOR THE TREATMENT OF OSTEOPOROSIS

There are 4 types of exercise and activity integral to the management of low trauma fracture and osteoporosis:

·       Strength

·       Posture and Core Stability

·       Balance

·       Weight-bearing

To MAINTAIN bone, strain on the musculoskeletal system must be of low magnitude.

To BUILD bone, strains need to be:

·       Unusual, novel, not customary in distribution

·       High magnitude

·       High repetitions

·       But NOT prolonged, because mechanoreceptors in bone desensitize rapidly.

BoneFit™ exercises encourage basic bone health for all individuals.  “BoneFit™ is an evidence-informed exercise training workshop, designed for healthcare professionals and exercise practitioners to provide training on the most appropriate, safe and effective methods to prescribe and progress exercise for people with osteoporosis” endorsed by Osteoporosis Canada.

Want to get started with a BoneFit™ program? Click here to book in with Registered Physiotherapists; Justin or Shannon.