The Dangerous Link Between Falls And Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a common bone disorder that is characterized by a decline in bone mineral density and disruptions in the trabecular architecture of the bones. These changes cause loss of bone strength and put the patients at risk of fractures.

The link between osteoporosis and the tendency for falling is strong as both tend to coexist in a person. Hence, there is a need to understand the importance of managing osteoporosis and preventing falls to be able to protect yourself against fractures.

Here is a brief discussion about the dangerous link between falls and osteoporosis and the need to avoid these issues.

How Are Osteoporosis and Falls Linked to Each Other?

Increased Risk of Falls

Osteoporosis is related to various factors such as menopause and aging. It is a common chronic metabolic bone disorder that occurs due to the increased fragility of the bones.

Studies have found that patients who suffer from osteoporosis are more likely to develop imbalance while walking making them vulnerable to falls and fractures.

According to recent studies, 1 in 3 women above the age of 50 years and 1 in 5 men are likely to experience osteoporotic fractures at least once in their lifetime. Also, every fracture can be a sign of an impending one in the future.

Osteoporosis has no noticeable clinical manifestations due to which it often goes unnoticed until the patient has a fracture. Fractures can cause long-term mobility issues, dependency and even reduce the quality of life.

However, these complications can be avoided by assessing the bone mineral density at regular internals and seeking early medical intervention for the treatment and prevention of this condition.

Undergoing bone densitometry at least once a year is recommended for all men and women above the age of 50 as the risk of osteoporosis increases substantially with age. They should also adopt a calcium-rich diet or use calcium, magnesium and vitamin D supplements to strengthen their bones and muscles. This would reduce the risk of falls and prevent fractures caused due to osteoporosis.

Vertebral Fractures

Osteoporosis is an age-related degenerative disorder that occurs due to the faster loss of bone tissues and the absence of efficient bone remodeling processes.

One of the common factors that can contribute to the risk of falling in men and women with osteoporosis is undetected vertebral fractures. The prevalence of undetected vertebral fractures is high in patients with osteoporosis as these fractures usually do not interfere with the routine activities of patients. This could also be attributed to the limited physical activities of older individuals. As they do not indulge in intense physical activities, the possibility of minor tears in the vertebral bodies being left undetected is higher in them.

However, such minor tears in the bones can continue to progress over a period of time causing the collapse of the vertebra resulting in a fall.

In such cases, the patient is likely to develop multiple fractures in the spinal column as well as legs and hands. This indicates the need to undergo regular bone densitometry tests and not ignore mild symptoms like pain in the back to ensure even a minor tear in the vertebral column is detected in a timely manner.

Taking these precautions could help patients avoid falls and serious complications associated with osteoporosis.

Decline in Obstacle Avoidance Skills

Research studies have shown that elderly patients with osteoporosis have later onset and a reduced response when stumbling over an obstacle. The deficits in obstacle avoidance skills in these patients represent an important risk for falls and osteoporotic fractures.

Fragility fractures can occur in almost all groups of bones in these patients, though the preferential locations include the vertebral column (spine), the proximal ends of the humerus (top part of the upper arm bone) and femur (where the leg connects in the hip), and the distal end of the radius (wrist).

These risks are more common in patients who have pre-existing immunologic dysfunctions that cause inflammatory damage to bones and cartilage and accelerate degenerative processes.

Hence, the immunological factors linked to osteoporosis and the risk of falls need to be assessed to prevent fractures.

The link between osteoporosis and fall has been clearly established in several research studies. Some experiments have also noted the need to restore healthy immune system functions to slow down degeneration and bone loss.

The use of immunity-boosting supplements like BioPro-Plus is expected to be beneficial in this regard. Regular use of BioPro-Plus could help promote healthy immune system functions and prevent inflammatory damage to the bones and cartilage. It may also slow down degeneration and minimize age-related bone loss. This could help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and protect against falls and fractures.