The term Osteoporosis translates to “porous bone”. This disease occurs when the body is unable to make new bone as fast as it is breaking down old bone. This leads to fragile and porous bones that fracture easily. The population most affected by this condition are women and men over the age of 65.
Research has shown that testing for osteoporosis is currently ineffective. In many cases, the tests are not able to predict the risk of falls and/or fractures, leading to equally ineffective treatments “A large population-based study of women aged 65 years or above showed that 85% of all low-trauma fractures were not attributable to osteoporosis” (Jarvinen, Michaelsson, Aspenberg, & Sievanen, 2015).
It is cheaper to treat the injury than it is to prevent it from occurring in the first place! “The cost of adverting on fracture based on osteoporosis testing and drug treatment is approximately $250,000. The cost of successfully treating a hip fracture is approximately $16,000 (Dr. James L Chestnut, 2019).
Most of the injuries that are being treated as a result of osteoporosis, are in fact unrelated to the disease. The main cause of injury from fractures in older people are the result of a fall. The risk of falling increases with age, as well as reduced physical activity. “Fractures are primarily due to falling, not osteoporosis. Despite a wide consensus that fractures in adults are ‘osteoporotic’, evidence indisputably shows that both hip and vertebral fractures are predominantly traumatic (caused by an injury)” (Jarvinen, Michaelsson, Aspenberg, & Sievanen, 2015).
What Can You Do?
Dr. James L. Chestnut, the author of “Live Right for Your Species Type” shares his perspective on how patients can improve their health by adopting an “Eat well-Move well- Think well” mindset towards whole body health (Chestnut, 2017).
This fits perfectly with the wellness lifestyle we encourage here at Family Wellness & Rehab.
Living the wellness lifestyle to reduce your risk of falling is the best way to avoid the expensive costs of osteoporosis testing and treatment is to treat the cause at its source. In this case, that means doing your absolute best to maintain strong and healthy bones.
- Exercise regularly!
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables!
- Make sure you get enough Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids into your diet.
- Keep a positive mindset throughout the process; Changes are not going to just happen overnight, it is a process but it is one that is worth it. Your health is worth it.
If you have any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to reach out to your local wellness practitioner to help point you in the right direction.
Family Wellness & Rehab SC
Phone: 815-895-4875
Email: info@familwellnessandrehab.com