Can You Prevent Osteoporosis While You’re Young? 

Osteoporosis is a common disease that affects the bones of approximately 54 million people in the United States. Since this condition is so common, it’s important that you know there are steps you can take now to keep your bones strong. This is what you need to know about osteoporosis and how you can prevent it. 

What is Osteoporosis? 

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the integrity of your bones. It causes your bones to become weak, fragile, and break easily. Normal, healthy bones look like a honeycomb on the inside, however, those with this condition have porous bones that have larger spaces. The outer part of the bone thins with osteoporosis weakening the bone structure. This painful bone condition can be silent for a while and is often not found until a bone is broken. 

Osteoporosis Complications

The National Osteoporosis Foundation explains that this condition is serious, especially within older patients. Osteoporotic bone breaks are most likely to occur in the hip, spine, or wrist, but other bones are susceptible to break, too. Along with causing permanent pain, this condition can cause patients to lose height. Further, when the vertebrae is affected, the bones of the spine can become stooped and result in a hunched posture. 

Symptoms

The issue with bone loss is that it often is asymptomatic. Many people don’t know they have this condition until an injury occurs. However, according to WebMD, you can begin to experience symptoms as the disease progresses. You could begin to notice:

• Back pain
• Posture changes and a decrease in height 
• Curvature of the spine
• Broken bones that result from minor injuries
• Compression fractures 

Osteoporosis Prevention

The key to healthy bones begins in childhood. When we are little, our bones begin to gain mass and strength. The amount of mass you obtain while you’re young will determine your skeletal health for the rest of your life. The more bone mass you have, the more protection you have later on in life. To prevent osteoporosis, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons explains that you should focus on two things: your nutrition and exercise. 

Nutrition 

Good nutrition is important for all aspects of your health. To have healthy bones and tissues, you need a balanced diet that provides you with appropriate nutrients, like calcium. However, many diets in children and adults alike are lacking in calcium — a nutrient that is essential for bone health. 

Calcium is the most important nutrient for reaching peak bone mass. Children from 9 to 18 years old need 1,300 mg per day of calcium, however, many diets do not meet this recommendation. Calcium is not made by the body, so it must be added to our diets through the foods we eat or supplements. Further, to effectively absorb calcium, our bodies need Vitamin D. 

Vitamin D can come from foods we eat or from exposure to sunlight. However, just like calcium, most people are lacking in Vitamin D. 

Exercise

Living an active lifestyle is important for all ages. For teens, practicing weight-bearing exercise is vital in reaching maximum bone strength. Exercises that are best for this include walking, running, soccer, and even basketball. Occasionally, people can exercise too much. This primarily affects young women, who when they exercise excessively can lose enough weight to result in hormonal changes that stop menstrual periods. If this occurs, estrogen levels drop and can cause bone loss at a time in life when young women should be adding to their peak bone mass. 

Treatment Options

If you’re reading this at a time in your life when you already are experiencing symptoms of osteoporosis, there are treatment options to help you feel better. While there is no cure, there are things you can do to stop its progression. Early detection is key to reducing bone density and reversing the disorder to a certain degree. To learn more about your treatment options, make an appointment with our team at Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center. 

Make an Appointment with Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center

You can help fight the life changing effects of osteoporosis through early detection. Determining your risk with your healthcare provider will help you develop a plan to protect your bones. Regularly visiting Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center here in Austin, Texas can help you avoid the risks of the disease. We will start a treatment plan as soon as the condition is discovered to prevent the development of permanent, life-altering symptoms. To make your appointment with us, call our office at (512)-806-0015.