What You Should Know About Fall Prevention For Osteoporosis Suferrers

A fall can be a distressing and scary occurrence no matter your age. For those who have weak bones that can be easily broken (aka osteoporosis), a fall is even more frightening meaning fall prevention is extremely important.

Is Osteoporosis Common?

34 million people have low bone mass and another 10 million have osteoporosis in the U.S. according to National Osteoporosis Foundation statistics. About a quarter of patients 50 and over die within the first year of those who have had a hip fracture and the cost is estimated to be close to $25 billion dollars by 2025 for osteoporosis related fractures. What's worse is the fact that many times when a hip bone breaks, the victim will also break a wrist or arm when they try to stop their fall. In truly serious cases of osteoporosis, bones may even break when someone sneezes or simply bumping into a table. As fragile as those bones affected by osteoporosis are, fall prevention is essential.

Osteoporosis Risk After 50

Although men affected by osteoporosis is only 20%, women are often diagnosed after the age of 50 because of the loss of estrogen after menopause according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. And because women have thinner bones and are generally weaker than men, the key to maintaining a high quality of life as they get older is education.

Osteoporosis: Care and Prevention

Eating fruits and vegetables, regular exercise, reducing alcohol intake, quitting smoking and eating a diet rich in Calcium and Vitamin D are a few ways to prevent or minimize osteoporosis effects. If you're already dealing with osteoporosis, whether it's you or a loved one, making those dietary changes is important but so is finding ways in preventing falls both in and outside the home. Here are some tips for effective fall prevention:

1. Whenever possible, get rid of loose rugs and other tripping hazards. 2. Don't wear flip-flops or slick socks, always wear low heeled or rubber soled shoes for better traction. 3. Grab bars in the shower or bath as well as beside the commode are important. Other things to consider are a shower chair and non-slip mats. 4. An effective way to prevent a fall on stairways are the railings on both sides. 5. Using bed rails are important when getting in and out of bed. 6. Another important thing to consider is to avoid ill fitting pants or long skirts that could cause a fall and instead wear well fitting clothing.

Aging Parents with Osteoporosis: How to Protect Them

Even though someone has osteoporosis that doesn't mean they can't still have a high quality of life. One exercise/martial arts routine that is recommended is Tai Chi because it doesn't involve a lot of twisting and bending as other stretching exercises. However, it is still very helpful with balance. You will get a big benefit by using weights or doing other muscle strengthening exercises. Having your hearing and eyesight tested is essential to good balance as balance depends partly on judging distances like curb heights. Finding ways to improve your balance is just as important as a good diet when finding methods of prevention.

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