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Osteoporosis is a disorder in which bones gradually become thinner and weaker until they get to the point where they break easily. The most common sites of fracture in people with advanced osteoporosis are the hip, spine and wrist. How often have you heard of an elderly woman who "fell and broke her hip?" It's possible that her fall caused her weakened hip to break. But it's also possible that the bone in her hip was so fragile that an ordinary movement made it break, and then caused the woman to fall.

The risk of osteoporosis becomes greater as a person ages. Because of decreasing levels of estrogen, women are more likely to be affected. However, osteoporosis can afflict people at any age, and some men also develop osteoporosis. Osteoporosis itself is not associated with any obvious symptoms. Years may go by with the bone becoming weaker and weaker until a fracture finally occurs.

Hip fractures can lead to the loss of mobility and independence in the elderly. Vertebral fractures may lead to the loss of height and the formation of a permanent curvature of the spine, known as a "dowager's hump." This condition results in a hunched appearance, limits movement, forces the abdomen to protrude, may cause respiratory problems and can make digestion more troublesome.

The best ways to avoid the unpleasant, disabling and disfiguring consequences of osteoporosis is to prevent bone loss before it becomes advanced and to understand the risk factors for osteoporosis.

• About 25 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis.
• At least 80 percent of all patients with osteoporosis are women.
• A woman's risk of fracturing her hip is the same as her risks for breast cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer combined.
• Nearly 25 percent of people who suffer a hip fracture die in the year following the fracture.
• Of the people who suffer a hip fracture and could walk before the fracture, 25 percent must receive long-term care afterward.

External Resources: National Osteoporosis Foundation American Journal of Clinical Nutrition American Dietetic Association National Institute on Aging

This article was published on 1999-06-08
This article was reviewed on 2003-02-03