Preventing Osteoporosis and Hip Fractures
My friend Brandy Cunningham was recently in the hospital because of a broken hip. She had been hiking in Bryce Canyon National Park and took a tumble. It was quite an ordeal getting her out of there by helicopter.
Once in the emergency room, Brandy was informed that she had a subcapital fracture of the right hip. Fortunately, she did not break her pelvis as well.
She had surgery that afternoon and is back home now. She is even beginning to hike again. But. she still owes $23,984 on her hospital bill.
Fortunately, these days, most stories from people with a broken hip end up the same way. They get some new surgical steel in their hips and get back to their usual activities. However, an even better story would be if that broken bone could be prevented! You would save a lot of money and pain.
The good news is that you can do a lot these days to prevent hip fractures. Most hip fractures happen because the bone is weak. In fact the bone will often break because it is weak and the person will fall because of the broken bone. The weakness or thinning of the bone is called osteoporosis.
Factors That Increase Osteoporosis
One of the things that we all tend to do as we get older is become less active. Unfortunately for those of us who like to sit around all day, the bones get thinner when we are not walking around as much. So, they break easier. In fact, most hip fractures happen after the age of 65.
Women get two to three times as many more hip fractures as men. That is because after menopause, the hormones change to make it more likely to get osteoporosis.
If others in your family tended to have fractures late in life, you have a higher risk of getting them also. Genetics play a factor in the strenght of your bones.
What you eat and your personal habits affect your bone strength. A diet low in calcium causes weaker bones. Also, you can be taking in enough calcium, but if you are taking it in with lots of meat and milk, you actually need more, because those foods make it harder for your body to absorb it. Smoking and alcohol use also contribute to thinner bones. Nutrition. A low calcium dietary intake or reduced ability to absorb calcium. Vitamin D is also necessary to absorb and use your calcium.
Preventing Osteoporosis and Hip Fractures
Exercise causes a small electric current to stimulate the osteoplast cells to make your bones stronger. Exercise also strengthens the muscles that support your joints. An exercise program will therefore improve your bone strength.
Medications exist that your doctor can prescribe that will strengthen your bones. Your doctor can do a bone density test to see if you need medications such as hormone replacement therapy and calcitonin to help your bones.
Some things can make you fall easier and break your hip even if it is not weakened by osteoporosis. Some medications can make you dizzy. If your eyesight is poor or you are unsteady on your feet, you can fall more easily. You should compensate for this with a walker or changes in glasses.
Finally, cut down on those things that weaken your bones like smoking and excessive alcohol drinking.
Use these steps to simply and greatly make your bones stronger and diminish your chances of ever getting an intertrochanteric fracture.
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