Osteoporosis, which means “porous bone,” is a condition marked by decreased bone density and strength. Fractures associated with this bone-weakening condition can be life-altering. There are three major sites for fracture: the hip, the spine, and the wrist. Prevention begins with weight-bearing exercise and balanced nutrition. Treatment will include the same, with the addition of physician prescribed medications. Our team of therapists can offer guidance on dietary and nutritional aspects that can be very helpful with prevention and management.
DID YOU KNOW?
These are some clinical signs and symptoms of osteoporosis:
- Low back pain
- Decrease in height. Yes, you may have actually “shrunk” one to three inches.
- Dowager’s Hump – also known as a “Back Hump” or ‘Fatty Hump” at the back of the neck. By the way, this can be prevented or reversed with guided physical therapy!
- Decreased activity tolerance.
- Bone fractures. While many people believe that a fracture is a “hairline break,” or a certain type of broken bone, this is not true. A fracture and a broken bone are the same thing!
If preventing or managing osteoporosis is on your radar for improved health, our team of physical therapists can work with you in these crucial areas:
- Build bone or lessen the amount of bone loss through weight-bearing activities.
- Instruct with postural exercises to help align forces on the bone. This is especially important for avoiding those ever-so painful lumbar compression fractures.
- Improve flexibility.
- Gain strength.
- Proper nutrition is a strong component of improving bone health, and our team of therapist can provide excellent resources.
- Restore or enhance balance through our fall prevention and balance training programs. Our Cypress balance retraining program starts with a comprehensive assessment for fall risk and builds an individualized plan to meet your specific needs. Please give us a call and one of our physical therapists will answer your questions!