Bone health and Fractures
Written by
Irma Jennings, INHC
Uploaded
February 10
Article reposted with permission from Dr. Lani Simpson: https://lanisimpson.com/blogs/news
• Fractures can be a sign of poor bone health, even though they are a common occurrence.
• Bones are living tissue that require a balance between resorption and formation to remain healthy.
• Factors that can contribute to poor bone health include age, gender, genetics, nutrition, and lack of physical activity.
• Osteoporosis is a common condition that can lead to weakened bones and an increased risk of fractures, particularly in older women.
• Maintaining good bone health throughout life is important to prevent fractures and other bone-related problems.
• Tips for maintaining good bone health include getting enough calcium and vitamin D, engaging in weight-bearing exercises, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
• Regular bone density screenings can help assess one's risk of fractures.
Fractures and Bone Health. Trauma fractures result from the direct, physical impact of an event such as tumbling off a ladder, being injured in a car accident, or falling while playing pickleball.
Unlike osteoporosis-related fractures, trauma fractures are not necessarily associated with an underlying weakness in the bones. They occur because the bones cannot withstand the amount of force exerted on them by the trauma event. Doctors and patients need to determine whether or not the health of the bone was adding to the extent of the fracture.
The fact that trauma was involved does not necessarily mean the bone is healthy.
if you have any fractures of significance, you should get a bone density test (DXA).
Of course, there are gray areas. Osteoporosis may predispose some individuals to fracture a bone with less trauma than would be expected. It's important to tease out the details of any activities or life events that result in a fracture and bone health issues. This information can influence medical decisions and life activities.
Stress fractures are generally classified in the trauma category because the repetitive pounding of an activity. For example, running causes physical stress that can produce hairline breaks over time. But a stress fracture can also be a red flag for low bone density or poor bone quality (TBS test). It’s one thing if a stress fracture occurs in a person who trains for and runs a marathon. There could be other problems if it happens after a long walk.
Stress fractures are not always visible on x-rays. An MRI or CT scan may be required for confirmation. Seek this type of assessment if it seems the area in question has not healed after three to four weeks. If you or someone in your life experiences repeated stress fractures (or a fracture that seems to be of questionable origin), consider getting an accurate bone density test (DXA) to investigate the problem further.
Note: “Insufficiency fracture” is a term you may see in medical reports. These are only seen in severe bone cases. Sometimes referred to as a ‘subtype’ of stress fracture, insufficiency fractures can happen without any trauma. These fractures occur due to loss of trabecular (porous) bone, and they are “caused by normal or physiologic stress upon weakened bone.” In other words, the bone is so weak it can collapse due to the mere stress of body weight. Insufficiency fractures are seen only in extreme cases of osteoporosis or some other bone pathology.
Different terms are used to identify fractures caused by or related to osteoporosis. This can be confusing when you’re talking to your doctor or doing online research!
The following is a list of a few names for osteoporosis-related fractures.
Please note that all these terms basically mean the same thing:
The World Health Organization describes all osteoporosis-related fractures as “fracture[s] caused by injury that would be insufficient to fracture a normal bone.” So, even though the above labels differ, they each describe bone breaks that fall under an ‘osteoporosis-related fracture’.
In other words, these fractures occur with minimal or no trauma from a standing height or lower.
This means if you have osteoporosis, you can fracture a bone if you trip and fall onto the floor or the street. That’s a fall from a standing height, and when there is no underlying pathology, most people can fall that far without breaking a bone. (Although certainly there are instances when falling from a standing height can have significant impact, which is why it is important to ask a lot of questions about a fracture).
For instance, if someone falls hard from a standing height and breaks their wrist, it does not necessarily mean their bones are significantly weak. However, if the bones shatter in pieces or if surgery is necessary it certainly is possible that poor bone health was part of the reason the bone fracture, get a bone density test.
When my patients are unclear about whether a recent fracture could be due to osteoporosis, I sometimes ask them, “If this had happened when you were twenty-five years old, do you think you would have fractured?” Answering “no” to that question is one indication that their fractures may not be due to a specific trauma event and that further investigation is needed.
There is so much to know regarding your bones. Diagnosis is paramount, and if you have sustained a significant fracture, you can help yourself by learning all you can from reputable sources.
There is no osteoporosis specialty and most doctors of any persuasion are not specialists. If you have not sustained a fracture and you are diagnosed with osteoporosis with a bone density test(DXA), consider yourself lucky. Learn all you can to see if your fracture risk is of concern.
Most medical doctors tend to “treat” the bone density test, and recommend a bone medication without doing proper lab work. Alternative doctors may recommend a simple supplement program, but they too are not experts in reading bone density reports and ordering proper lab work.
In both instances, your bones were not fully evaluated.
My latest DXA and TBS report is in. As a reminder, I was diagnosed with osteopenia in 2005 and given a script for Fosamax. I declined. I was in my 50's. Now I'm in my 70's. My intention was to implement my 7 pillars for bone health for a better outcome:
At that time, Fosamax was a long term drug. I would have been a prolonged user. I'm grateful to the work of Dr. Schneider and who revealed her terrible story below. Due to her work Fosamax users now take a drug holiday.
(more…)Mighty Bone Loving Oatmeal packs a delicious nutrient boost. Oats are high in the form of soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which is beneficial for heart health. They are a good source of manganese, a component of antioxidant enzymes, important in facilitating bone development and helping to make and break down glucose. Oats are also a good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.
My bones feel nourished eating my, cook-once-eat-twice (or 3-4 times), mighty bone-loving oatmeal especially as the weather gets colder. Since I find it so soothing I usually eat oatmeal all year round. Adding berries rounds out this pleasurable meal with a touch of sweetness.
Hello friends of bones:
I’m happy to present my Bone Turnover Marker PDF from my interview with Dr. McCormick.
We discussed:
What are Bone Markers?
Why are they necessary?
What is the best way to get an effective test?
My gift to my community is the easy-to-navigate clickable transcript.
(more…)One of my favorite recipes Sardine Salad for your bones with a refreshing lemon flavor.
Oily fish is a superfood and sardines are the unsung heroes of this group. They are rich in selenium and calcium and are an excellent source of omega-3s. They are high in EPA and DHA which are essential fatty acids that perform a multitude of tasks inside your body, including stopping inflammation at a cellular level, breaking down fat cells, and maintaining a healthy hormonal balance.
(more…)Shelly Gladstein, a peer leader for OsteoBoston, which is part of Bone Health Osteoporosis Foundation (formerly NOF) invited me to answer submitted questions on Food for Healthy Bones.
I discussed:
Eating prunes for your bones can help prevent or delay bone loss by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. My prune blog offers two delightful recipes.
Skelly and I spend a lot of time trying to get the word out about strong bones and how to feed them. But a lot of women we meet don’t give their bones a second thought – until it’s too late.
(more…)Skelly and I love to quench our thirst. Instead of reaching for filtered water, we drink one 750mg bottle of Gerolsteiner Mineral Water. Not only for the bioavailability of calcium and magnesium but because mineral water offsets a highly-acidic Western diet characterized by high grains and animal products. Drinking 1,500-2,000 mL of mineral water rich in bicarbonate (>1.8 g/L) can help reduce the net dietary acid load. [1]
Personally, I am a mostly grain-free animal protein eater. Animal protein keeps me grounded. Otherwise, I float away and my brain does not function in a sharp way. Not everyone eats this way as we are all individuals with different dietary needs. Vegetarians typically eat more grains which are more acidic.
(more…)This new year finds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) changing its labeling rules for genetically modified foods.
Foods containing "genetically engineered" (GE) ingredients or "genetically modified organisms" (GMOs) will now simply be marked as "bioengineered."
