Lesson 10: Osteoporosis and Osteoporotic Fractures Flashcards
How are osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures related?
Osteoporosis is the reduction of bone mineral density (BMD) to such and extent that you are at an increased risk of fractures I.e. osteoporotic fractures.
What are the etiology, signs and symptoms and risk factors for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures?
Osteopororis - causes can be genetic (e.g. Females) or lifestyle. Lifestyle factors include inadequate calorie intake, inadequate micronutrients such as calcium, inactivity, or prolonged use of such drugs as smoking, alcohol and glucocorticoids. Menapause is also a risk factor when BMD rates will increase for several years due to hormone changes. Controllable risk factors are the lifestyle changes mentioned.
It is asymptomatic - there are no real symptoms. Scans will show reduced BMD.
Osteoporotic fractures - generally a result of chronic osteoporosis and mostly occur in the hips, vertebra and wrists. Risk factors are the same as for osteoporosis. Symptoms can be the same as those for a typical fracture ie severe pain, swelling, loss of mobility, disfigurement. However, in vertebral compressions there may be very little or no pain, so loss of height and increased spinal curvature may be the only symptoms.
What sort of exercise will reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures?
Exercise needs to include cardiovascular, resistance, flexibility and neural or proprioception (eg balancing exercises). Activities like Tai Chi have been shown to reduce the risk dramatically in older people.
When is the best stage in someone’s life to ensure they reach their maximum bone mass density and how may they achieve this?
Prepuberty. You have reached about 90% of your BMD by your late teens.
What can you do from the ages of 20 - 40 to reduce bone mineral density loss?
Eat well and healthily and be active. Don’t smoke or drink excessively.
How is reduced height and increased spine curvature related to osteoporotic fracture?
The anterior portion of the vertebral body compresses, causing loss of height and increased flexion of the spine. There is often very little pain associated with this as the spine and nerves are posterior and not usually affected.
