Symptoms
It is usually a silent disease until complicated by a fracture in the elderly.Most common sites of fracture include hip, wrist and spine fracture.
Do we need to sustain fracture to diagnose it?
No, to diagnose osteoporosis,In women age 65 and older and men age 70 and older, BMD/DEXA testing is recommended.
Recommend BMD testing to those who have suffered a fracture(hip, wrist or spine) to determine degree of disease severity.
Fracture prevention consists of bone health and prevention of falls
Bone health=Muscle health
Exercise:
A regular weight-bearing exercise regimen (for example, walking 30–40 min per session) along with back and posture exercises for a few minutes on most days of the week should be advocated throughout life.
Exercise effects must be site specific(different for back, gluteal i.e, muscles).
Prevention of falls
Fall in the bathroom is the most common cause of fracture around the hip area
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Improve lighting: on the staircase, along the corridor, night lamps, in the kitchen, bathroom etc.
- Install grab bars near the toilet seat, in the bathing area.
- Use non-slip mats outside the washroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room.
- Install handrails along the stairs, corridor or any other area where you think it is required.
- Remove all the obstacles or clutters from the floor or pathway where the elderly of our house are likely to use regularly.