Osteoporosis: Brittle Bones and a Battle for the Golden Years

Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.

By: Martha Michael

When you think of osteoporosis, you might picture an elderly woman hunched over, shuffling along with a cane. It’s a classic image, but the truth is that osteoporosis and its early warning sign, osteopenia, are often much less visible than that. Bone loss can creep up quietly, like a stealthy intruder, often going unnoticed until it’s advanced.

Imagine for a moment Mary, a vibrant woman in her 50s, who’s always been active and enjoyed a full life. She starts feeling occasional aches in her back and notices that she’s losing height. It’s not until her doctor suggests a bone density test that Mary learns she’s dealing with osteopenia. The news hits hard, but it’s not a dead end; it’s a wake-up call.

Osteopenia and osteoporosis often develop so gradually that they can escape your notice. But here's the silver lining: with the right diet and exercise, you can slow down bone erosion and keep your bones strong and resilient. Think of it like maintaining a classic car—regular care and attention can keep it running smoothly for years to come.

So, just as Mary began incorporating weight-bearing exercises and calcium-rich foods into her routine, you, too, can take proactive steps to protect your bone health. Small changes now can make a big difference, helping you stay strong and active for years to come. Remember, staying on top of your bone health is like investing in your future well-being.

What is osteoporosis, and how does it affect bone health?

A condition causing bones to become weak and brittle, osteoporosis heightens the risk of leg or hip fractures and other injuries. More than 50 million Americans are living with osteoporosis, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The majority of them are over 50 years old because bones naturally become more brittle with age. About 50 percent of females and 25 percent of males over 50 have osteoporosis.

It’s a disease that’s characterized by a decrease in bone density. From age, injury, or a medical condition, when your bones lose the ability to regrow their cells they become more fragile and less capable of supporting your weight. As they lose their density they eventually meet the standard for osteoporosis.

Symptoms of osteoporosis

Sometimes referred to as a “silent disease,” osteoporosis often occurs without you knowing it. Unlike other medical issues causing such symptoms as aches and pains or something visual such as a rash, osteoporosis occurs in your bones where you don’t have any sensation.

Aside from the results of a medical checkup in which you have your bone density tested, most people find out they have osteoporosis after breaking a bone during a minor accident or a fall.

There are warning signs, however, including:

• Change in posture
• Loss of height
• Shortness of breath
• Back pain

If you notice these happening to you or a loved one, you may be able to catch it in its early stage, known as osteopenia.

What is osteopenia?

As bone mass erodes and your bones get weaker, they go through a phase known as osteopenia. They lose calcium during the aging process, and as bones become softer and weaken it may indicate you are at-risk of developing osteoporosis.

It’s normal for your bones to experience change over time, but when you’re young you are able to regrow new bone cells faster than your body breaks down old cells. As you experience decline it’s known as osteopenia.

It’s unlikely that you can prevent osteopenia entirely because it’s normal to become less able to absorb calcium as you age. You can expect your bone density to drop, and if you’re already a thin-boned person, you want to pay close attention at the earliest stages.

What are the primary risk factors for developing osteoporosis?

Age is not the only factor leading to a loss of bone density. An article by MedlinePlus outlines other habits, physical predispositions, and changes to your health that add to your risk of osteoporosis.

Family history

Your heritage can affect your chance of developing osteoporosis. White and Asian women are more likely to lose bone mass than other women and men. If your family members have a history of the condition, you may also be at risk.

Small frame

When your natural physique is small and you don’t have as much bone mass as someone heartier, you may be at a greater risk of osteoporosis.

Change in hormones

If you have lower hormone levels than normal, you can develop osteoporosis. Women who go through early menopause or have a hysterectomy have a heightened risk of low bone density.

Health conditions

Loss of bone mass goes with the territory if you’re battling certain illnesses, including:

• Gastrointestinal disease
• Endocrine disorder
• Certain cancers
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• HIV
• Anorexia nervosa

Tobacco use

If you smoke cigarettes or have another habit involving tobacco, you increase your risk of developing osteoporosis.

How can chiropractic care benefit individuals with osteoporosis or osteopenia?

As osteopenia begins to affect your body’s bone structure, a chiropractor may be able to detect changes while monitoring your spine health. With routine chiropractic care there’s a baseline of your overall health, so anything impacting your physical wellness—from posture to broken bones—could be detected early.

Through chiropractic treatment, a patient with osteoporosis can choose non-invasive options for pain and while improving or maintaining their mobility. For patients with osteoporosis, it is likely that chiropractors will opt to use different adjusting techniques or avoid adjusting areas that have decreased bone mass. A typical goal for care is maintaining a patient’s ability to move so that quality of life may be maintained. Chiropractors may also provide guidance for improving posture and recommendations for slowing down the rate of bone loss.

How can you lower the risk of developing osteopenia or osteoporosis?

Lifestyle choices can help minimize the chance you lose bone mass. By slowing the advancement of the condition you reduce the need for treatment for osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Food

Eating a healthy diet offers a physical boost on many levels, including your bones. A diet that’s low in calcium contributes to the threat of osteopenia and, eventually, osteoporosis. Adults should consume at least 300 mg per day, which you can get from one glass of milk or by taking a calcium supplement.

Be sure you consume Vitamin D from such sources as egg yolks, some cereals, fish, and fortified milk. The sun can add to your supply as well, but protect your skin by applying sun block, which will aid in the prevention of sunburn as well as cancer.

Drinks

Caffeine can block the absorption of calcium, so watch your coffee, tea, and soda intake. More than three cups of coffee per day is too much if you consume very little calcium.

Activity

Regular exercise is another way to boost your general health, including bone density. Walking or doing cardio types of exercise builds strength in your muscles and bones. Devoting 30 minutes per day, five days a week, to an exercise program will help you minimize the loss of bone density.

Loss of bone density is an insidious condition, so battling the problem isn’t as straightforward as fighting germs. Don’t wait until you’re 50 to make sure you’re doing what you can to build and maintain bone strength. Check your calcium and Vitamin D intake, and if you don’t have a robust strength training and exercise program, see your chiropractor for suggestions.

Bones are the framework of the body; the last thing we want is for that foundation to become weak and collapse. Although such a collapse may not be literal, the weakening and potentially crumbling infrastructure of our frame—which is literal—would be devastating to the quality of life in our senior years.

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