Primary osteoporosis is the name given to osteoporosis cases not caused by an underlying drug reaction, disease or syndrome. In this condition, the bones—the word itself means “porous bones”—become brittle, making them highly susceptible to fracture. An event as innocuous as landing the wrong way when sitting down on a chair or twisting awkwardly during […]
Most of us have heard about the dangers of osteoporosis, an age related condition that results in weakened, easily broken bones. But as we age, we don’t think much about losing muscle strength. Sarcopenia , the medical term for muscle loss, develops gradually. It begins around age 35, but at first the loss is slow— […]
Understanding Spinal Fractures If you have lingering back pain that becomes worse with prolonged sitting, you may have a spinal compression fracture. Though this sounds alarming, it is much more common than people realize, affecting approximately 700,000 Americans every year. The good news: in most cases, it can be treated without surgery. The Impact of […]
The thought of “breaking your back” is pretty scary, but more than 700,000 people a year fracture their spines and do not even realize it. In fact, many of them brush off the symptoms (backaches, loss of flexibility and a tendency to appear “hunched”) as a normal part of aging. While such fractures may not […]
Colles’ Fracture: Don’t Strike Out When You Break Your Wrist You walk out of your house, trip on the sidewalk and attempt to break your fall with an outstretched arm. Immediately afterward, you notice pain, swelling and an inability to move your wrist. You have likely just sustained a broken wrist (or Colles’ fracture), one […]
You lifted a bag of groceries from the floor. Now your physician says your back pain is the result of spinal compression fracture. What is that? Can it be treated? Will the pain go away? Spinal compression fracture occurs when bones of the back cannot support the demand placed on them and collapse. Sometimes multiple […]
Arthritis may be a joint disease, but strengthening the muscles is an important component in its treatment. That is because a leading cause of limited movement in people with arthritis—especially, for instance, knee arthritis—is the weakening of surrounding muscles, rather than pain, dysfunction or abnormalities in the joint itself. This raises an important question: Is […]
The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that osteoporosis is a major health threat for 55% of people 50 years of age or older. Ten million people— 80% of them women—have osteoporosis, and almost 34 million people have low bone mass and are at an increased risk to develop the disease. With one in two women and […]
Understanding Vertebral Compression Fractures & Kyphoplasty Recovering from a vertebral compression fracture surgery like kyphoplasty can feel daunting, but understanding the procedure and the steps to recovery can make all the difference. This article will walk you through the kyphoplasty procedure and provide essential tips for recovery, including exercises and physical therapy, to help you […]
Older individuals with osteoporosis often develop spinal kyphosis, resulting in the formation of a pronounced hunchback, sometimes called a “dowager’s hump” (kyphos means “hump” in Greek). Kyphosis occurs because a spinal vertebra, usually at the level of the rib cage, becomes weak and porous. Eventually, something as innocent as a sneeze or cough causes the […]