Osteoporosis and the Spine

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Osteoporosis and the Spine

Posted: May 1, 2006

Osteoporosis is a condition that means your bones are weak. There are no symptoms, so you might not know your bones are getting weaker until you break a bone doing an everyday activity.

Osteoporosis can happen to any of your bones, but is most common in the hip, wrist, and in your spine, also called your vertebrae. Vertebrae are important because these bones support your body to stand and sit upright. In a person with osteoporosis in the spine, a fracture in that area of the body can occur from day-to-day activities like climbing stairs, lifting objects or bending forward.

Osteoporosis in the vertebrae also can cause:

Sloping shoulders
Curve in the back
Height loss
Back pain
Hunched posture
Protruding abdomen

Take these steps to protect your bones:

Eat a healthy diet.
Be sure to get enough calcium and vitamin D every day. Other nutrients, like vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and zinc, as well as protein, help build strong bones too. Milk provides many of these nutrients. But you also can get these nutrients by eating a healthy diet. Some examples are lean meat, fish, green leafy vegetables, and oranges.

Get moving.
Being active really helps your bones by slowing bone loss, improving muscle strength and helping your balance.

Do weight-bearing physical activity, which is any activity in which your body works against gravity. There are so many things you can do: walk, dance, run, climb stairs, garden, do yoga or tai chi, jog, hike, play tennis, or lift weights ― it all helps!

Don’t smoke.
Smoking raises a woman’s risk of getting osteoporosis. It damages your bones and lowers the amount of estrogen in your body. Estrogen is a hormone made by your body that can help slow bone loss.

Drink alcohol moderately.
If you drink, do not drink more than one alcoholic drink per day. Alcohol can make it harder for your body to use the calcium you take in.

Make your home safe.
Reduce your chances of falling by making your home safer. For example, use a rubber bath mat in the shower or tub. Keep your floors free from clutter. Remove throw rugs that cause you to trip. Make sure you have grab bars in the bath or shower.

Get screened for osteoporosis.
Talk with your health care provider about when you should have your bone mineral density (BMD) checked. This non-invasive and painless test is the best way to determine your bone health.

Think about taking medicines to prevent or treat bone loss.
Talk with your doctor or nurse about the risks and benefits of medicines for bone loss.

Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office on Women’s Health

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