Osteoporosis
What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis and osteopenia (a milder form of osteoporosis) are conditions that affect the strength of your bones, which increases susceptibility to bone fractures. Although the conditions are more common in older people and females, males and younger people may also develop osteoporosis or osteopenia. There is a lot you can do to optimise your bone health, improve overall wellness and minimise fracture risk.
Two-thirds of Australians aged over 50 years have osteoporosis or osteopenia. The vast majority have osteopenia (78 per cent) and as a result, more than half of all fractures occur in people with osteopenia, rather than osteoporosis.
From age 50, about one in three women and one in five men will sustain a fracture due to osteoporosis or osteopenia. Fractures occur most commonly at the hip, spine, wrist, arm and pelvis, and can significantly impact mobility, flexibility, and quality of life.
What are the symptoms?
Osteoporosis and osteopenia are considered a ‘silent disease’ until a fracture occurs or your posture changes. Therefore, many people do not know they have the condition, so assessing risk factors is very important. Your physiotherapist can help with risk factor assessment, prevention planning, and strategies to support your bone health.
Risk factors for osteoporosis and osteopenia include: a history of a low-trauma fracture, family history of poor bone health, early menopause (before age 45), certain medications and health conditions, low body weight, low calcium and vitamin D, and unhelpful lifestyle habits (smoking, excessive alcohol, low physical activity).
Use the Know Your Bones online tool (knowyourbones.org.au) to assess your bone health risk factors.
How can we help?
Your physiotherapist can advise you about ways to optimise your bone health. Specifically, they can guide you in a bone health plan, which may include appropriate physical activity, nutritional information and guidance about smoking and alcohol intake. Physiotherapists can also talk to you about any risk factors you might have for poor bone health and refer you for further assessment and management, if appropriate. Other members of your healthcare team may include your GP, rheumatologist or endocrinologist.
Strategies may include:
• A tailored exercise or fitness program that safely loads the bones to help keep them strong;
• Exercises to optimise your posture or address postural changes, enhancing stability and coordination;
• Balance training to minimise your risk of falls and build endurance;
• Education about bone health and self-management strategies, and assisting in rehabilitation after a fracture is sustained.
Our physiotherapy and exercise physiology team also deliver one-on-one sessions and small group classes where an experienced instructor helps you follow a safe routine designed to improve strength, mobility, and independence. With ongoing guidance and community support, you’ll not only strengthen your bones but also experience the wider benefits of movement for arthritis, balance, and healthy ageing.
We are a team on the Sunshine Coast, combining physiotherapy and exercise physiology. We can’t wait to share our philosophy and help you move again!
Are you having a joint replacement?
Joint School is a pre-surgical education program that is delivered by one of our Physiotherapists in conjunction with a Nurse Practitioner from the Sunshine Coast Orthopaedic Group.
