Preventing falls is a special concern for men and women with osteoporosis. Falls can increase the likelihood of fracturing a bone in the hip, wrist, spine, or other part of the skeleton. In addition to the environmental factors listed below, falls can also be caused by impaired vision and/or balance, chronic diseases that affect mental or physical functioning, and certain medications, such as sedatives and some antidepressants. It is important that individuals with osteoporosis be aware of any physical changes that affect their balance or gait, and that they discuss these changes with their health care provider.
Here are some tips to help eliminate the environmental factors that lead to falls.
For many people, hearing "You have osteoporosis" is startling.
Some hear it in the hospital after breaking a hip. Others get the news after getting a bone density test.
Osteoporosis is most common in women after menopause, people with osteoporosis in their family, and people with a small frame. But others can also get it, raising their risk of bone fractures.
Cutting that risk is crucial. About half of women and a quarter of men over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture, notes the...