Osteoporisis

Posted by Bill Molesworth 
 
Randy introduced Monica who is the Area Manager for Simcoe County of Osteoporisis Canada and had worked previously with CNIB and the ALS. She said they are implementing a strategy, the first Provincial one, aimed at reducing fractures and promoting bone health. A hip fracture can cost up to $50,000.00, not including home care so any reduction will be significant. As the first to implement such a strategy, it is being observed with interest in Canada and from abroad.
 

Her first reaction on being invited to work with Osteo was that it was an old lady's disease with no cure but she has found that it is neither and is now committed to spreading the word. Osteo strikes all ages and both sexes. Men die more from complications of a hip fracture than women do and 75% of fractures are due to osteoporosis. Spinal osteo affects men disproportionately too because men are more likely to lift heavy objects and then to ignore the resulting pain as a muscle strain. If not investigated it can become compounded, leading to hip fractures or, in 1 in 4 cases, death. Of the remaining three, two go to long term care and one goes home but never regains the quality of life previous. It's a silent disease - you don't know you have it till you break something.

The best defense is to maintain activity and keep walking.Astronauts lose bone density very quickly in space and now they do 2 hours of resistance training daily. It would be a good practice for us too. As a population we are exercising less and eating less well and we are aging so the prediction is for an epidemic of heart disease, diabetis, and osteoporsis.

Feeding bones is important and calcium helps but the key is absorption which is reliant on sufficient doses of Vitamin D. We get this from the sun in the summer but we easily become deficient in the winter. Taking suplements helps maintain muscle strength which reduces our risk of falling. T'ai Ch'i exercise helps too.

Watch for low trauma fractures - breaks that result from simple slips. Check your height - if it's changing it could indicate spinal fractures. Doctors are fairly aware now of the disease and diagnosis is better but there is still a need for more research and publicity.If you present yourself at a hospital with a fracture, there will be a follow up inquiry from her organization. If you have it, watch heavy lifting and discuss it with your physiotherapits. They can concentrate on limiting further decline in density but improvement is rare and a bonus. Get your bones tested for a baseline but when you go back, go to the same machine - calibration problems can lead to errors in results.

Hank de Jong thanked Maureen for her timely talk and her wise counsel.