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Osteoporosis Canada defines its namesake plight as the “Silent Thief”; a condition with no symptoms – until you fracture a bone that is. These breaks are often serious and costly, the most common breaks are the wrist, spine, shoulder and hip. The current statistic predicts at least 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will suffer from an osteoporotic fracture.

Did you know that bone is living tissue? Our bodies are constantly breaking down and repairing our bones. However, many factors impact the efficiency in this cycle. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone cannot keep up with the loss of old bone. At any age, osteoporosis can strike, and it affects both men and women. Not a single cause for the condition has been identified.

As a result, osteogenic bones become more porous, less dense and resemble a honeycomb. Unfortunately, the “honeycomb” structure of these porous bones is significantly more brittle and prone to breaking from a fall. Fractures from osteoporosis are more common than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined. In fact, over 80% of ALL fractures in people over the age of 50 are caused by osteoporosis.

How osteoporosis affects Canadians

Hip fractures are an area of additional concern. Of the 30,000 hip fractures that occur annually in Canada, 70-90% are caused by osteoporosis. These breaks are serious and can only be described as debilitating to sufferers. If you experience a hip fracture, there is only a 44% that you will return home – it is more likely that you will require professional rehabilitative or long-term care. 28% of women who suffer a hip fracture, and 37% of men, will die within one year. Osteogenic hip fractures change lives with a single fall or trip.

While this damaging bone loss condition occurs with no symptoms, the “Silent Thief” does have some associated risk factors, among this is age. Most people achieve peak bone mass at an early age (16-25 years). This means that building strong bones during childhood and adolescence can be the best defence against developing osteoporosis later on. By the time that we enter our mid-30’s both men and women alike begin to lose bone density. As women age and approach menopause, their loss of bone increases up to 2-3% each year.

The cost of fractures

Alongside the costly physical and emotional impact on sufferers, the “Silent Thief” cost the Canadian Healthcare system over $2.3 billion dollars in 2010. Osteogenic fractures impact the system greatly not only in monetary expenses but also in consuming hospital beds. A single hip fracture costs the system $21,285 (in the 1st year after hospitalization). Also, it consumes more hospital bed days than conditions including stroke, diabetes, and heart disease.

Osteoporosis Canada states on their webpage that “hundreds of thousands of Canadians needlessly fracture each year because their osteoporosis goes undiagnosed and untreated.”. For such an impactful and prevalent condition, reports show with a heavy heart that less than 20% of fracture patients in Canada currently undergo diagnosis or adequate treatment for osteoporosis.

Treating Osteoporosis

While most current medical professionals focus their efforts on responding to osteogenic breaks and utilizing medication in known cases of low bone density, a preventative measure to bone loss does exist. Clinical evidence shows that controlled physical stress results in bone rebuilding itself in an improved, stronger form. At BioStrong we utilize a unique exercise device that facilitates this process, controlled loading that creates enough force to be effective and safe. The results of this natural process are highly measurable, and you will start to see results with 10-15-minute sessions once per week.

Our exercises help to trigger mineral absorption into the bones, reclaiming the “honeycomb” shape of lost density and reducing the effects of osteoporosis. You may even be able to reverse osteopenia and osteoporosis. At BioStrong we have immobilized the “Silent Thief”, preventing bone loss and reshaping porous bones. It is our mission to share this preventative measure and treatment for osteoporosis with Canadians.

Source:
Osteoporosis Canada