Osteoporosis is a condition of reduced bone density. Like any other living tissue, bone is under a constant cycle of tissue breakdown and repair. If the breakdown process overtakes the rebuilding one, density and bone strength reduce.

Diagnosing Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is easily diagnosed by a specialist x-ray (DEXA scan). The technician will image various areas of your body, typically including the hip and spine. They will then use a formula to provide a T score for the density of the areas. A score of down to -1 is considered normal, between -1 and -2 indicates osteopenia, and anything below 2.5 is osteoporosis.

Women are more at risk of developing low bone density than men, especially after the menopause. As with any condition there are a number of factors at play including genetics, diet, state of general health, and things like smoking. But one of the most important factors that is in your control is activity. Some people say the body is like a car and it needs regular checkups, but in reality the body is much more responsive than that. If you ask it to do more taxing things, a healthy body will respond by making those things easier for itself. For example, people who regularly run have more hydrated spinal discs than those who are sedentary. In the case of osteoporosis, this responsiveness means that regular weight-bearing exercise will increase the strength of your bones. This is not to say that you need to start lifting heavy weights: bodyweight exercise is a really good place to start. If you’re unsure about where to start, mention it at your osteopathy appointment or see if you can speak to a personal trainer at your local gym.

Medication for Osteoporosis

Medication is available for improving bone density. But before starting the strong stuff, you may prefer to look at ways to increase your absorption of the minerals that naturally make up healthy bone. Patients are often first prescribed Adcal, which is a combination of vitamin D and calcium. Note that vitamin D is required for the body to absorb calcium effectively bearing in mind that a quarter of the UK population is vitamin D deficient, this sounds like a reasonable place to start.

Symptoms of Low Bone Density

Often there are no symptoms until you break a bone. Even then sometimes this is surprisingly difficult to spot. One area particularly prone to subtle breaks is the spine. If bone density in the spine is low, then even relatively mild knocks can cause a vertebral wedge fracture. This may just manifest as a somewhat persistent back pain, but over time may become visible as the posture becomes more hunched. More impactful are fractures to the hip, which may require hospitalisation and lead to complications. As we age and our balance becomes less reliable these falls are more likely. This is especially true after ligament damage such as ankle sprains. Ligaments play a role in balance as they hold information that lets the brain know where the joint is in space. Rehabilitating an ankle properly can help improve local function as well as whole body health. Your osteopath can help here, even if your sprain was long ago.

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