Bone Health and Fracture Prevention Program

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break due to a minor fall or simple action such as bending over. Although women appear to be at greatest risk for osteoporosis, men can develop the disease as well.

Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the wrist, hip, or spine. Having osteoporosis does not automatically mean that your bones will break; however, it does mean you have a greater risk of fracture.

The goal of the Bone Health and Fracture Prevention Program is to reduce the occurrence of secondary fragility fractures (broken bones). Knowing your risk factors is the first step in taking an active role in the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis. Different physical characteristics and lifestyle factors contribute to osteoporosis in both men and women.

Risk factors you cannot control include:

Risk factors you can control include:

Also, some medications and diseases can cause bone loss and increase your risk of osteoporosis.

Although risk factors may increase your likelihood of getting osteoporosis, having risk factors does not necessarily mean you have, or will get, the disease.

Osteoporosis usually develops slowly over several years, without any symptoms. Most people do not know they have osteoporosis until they break a hip or wrist or other bone due to a minor fall.

Once your bones are weakened by osteoporosis, you may see signs and symptoms including:

As the disease progresses, symptoms may include:

Even though there are treatment options available for this disease, the best medicine is prevention.

Many fragility fracture patients never learn about the underlying cause of their fracture or receive treatment to prevent it from happening again. At MedStar Health, the Bone Health and Fracture Prevention Program assesses patients after the first bone fracture in order to prevent secondary fractures.

We begin with a medical evaluation to estimate your risk of breaking a bone. Testing and diagnosis may involve the following:

Other tests that may be used to get information about your bone health include X-rays and vertebral (spine) fracture assessments.

Although there is no cure for osteoporosis, there are steps you can take to prevent, slow, or stop its progress. In some cases, you may even be able to improve bone density to some degree.

If you are living with osteoporosis, we treat you with medications and advocate lifestyle changes as appropriate to help you manage this disease and enjoy an active lifestyle.

Many people live well with osteoporosis and avoid breaking bones. But if you have had one or more fractures, it’s important to learn about the steps you can take to maintain a good quality of life.

Stay active: Bones become stronger and denser when you place demands on them.

Exercise benefits your bones, muscle strength, and overall health. Physical activity also improves balance, which helps prevent falls. While people with osteoporosis need to modify exercises and movements to prevent fractures, there are many exercises that can be done safely.

Eat well: Having enough calcium and vitamin D as part of a healthy balanced diet is important for maintaining healthy bones. Dietary sources of calcium are preferred, but calcium supplements may benefit older men and women if dietary intake is inadequate and help reduce their risk of fractures. Include calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt, and cheese in your diet. Sources of vitamin D are sunlight, supplements and some dairy products; most people need to take vitamin D supplements to reach the recommended daily intake levels.

Manage anxiety: When you first learn that you have osteoporosis, you may be overwhelmed. You may restrict your normal activities because you are afraid of breaking a bone. Try to manage your fears and seek help with these issues.

Be social: Osteoporosis can affect your relationships with family members, co-workers, and friends. As you cope with the limitations of osteoporosis, you may be afraid to be around people for fear of causing fractures. Managing social concerns and limitation is easier when you look for support from your family and friends.

Other lifestyle changes that can help prevent osteoporosis include:

Medications are available to reduce the risk of broken bones. These medicines either slow or stop bone loss or they rebuild bone. You and your healthcare professional will work together to determine if medication is appropriate and to choose the right osteoporosis medicine for you.

Factors to consider include:

Gender: Some medications are only approved for women; others are approved for both men and women.

Age: Some medicines may be more appropriate for younger, postmenopausal women, while others are more appropriate for older women.

Severity of the disease: Osteoporosis medicines work in different ways. If you have severe bone loss or a broken bone, you may take a different medicine than someone with less bone loss. Other health problems you may have need to be considered when choosing a medicine.

Personal preferences: How well a medicine works can vary from person to person. Share your personal preferences about medicines with your health care provider, such as how often you want to take medication or in what form (such as pill, liquid, or injection).

Potential side effects: All medicines have risks as well as benefits. Side effects can be relatively minor, such as a headache or a dry mouth, or they can be more serious. Discuss the risks and benefits of medication with your healthcare provider and also the risks of not treating osteoporosis.