May is Osteoporosis Awareness & Prevention Month.

Although more than 53 million Americans already have osteoporosis or are at high risk due to low bone mass, most will go undiagnosed and untreated. Due to an aging population, the number of Americans with osteoporosis or low bone density is expected to increase significantly.

A broken bone, also known as an osteoporotic or fragility fracture, is a serious complication of osteoporosis and often the first sign that a person has the disease. One in two women and one in four men will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis. Unfortunately, less than half of the nearly two million individuals who experience fragility fractures each year are tested or treated for osteoporosis. Those fractures are costly; nearly $19 billion in related costs every year. It’s time to bring attention and awareness to this silent public health epidemic.

Fragility fractures can be debilitating for the elderly and sometimes even deadly. Nearly 25% of patients who suffer a hip fracture die within one year. Most of these patients probably had experienced a more minor fracture previously due to osteoporosis, but the underlying disease went undiagnosed and untreated. In fact, less than half of patients receive the recommended osteoporosis care following a fragility fracture.

What can patients do to protect their bones?

• Get adequate calcium and vitamin D, either through diet or supplements, if necessary
• Engage in regular weight bearing and muscle strengthening exercise
• Avoid smoking and limit alcohol intake to 2-3 drinks per day

Have you or a loved one had a broken bone over age 50? Talk to your health care professional and get a bone density screening to determine if osteoporosis might be the cause and learn about additional steps you might need to take to prevent future fractures.

OrthoCincy is one of over 370 health care institutions nationwide that has taken the initiative to ensure its patients receive the post-fracture and pre-operative bone health treatment and care that they deserve by implementing the American Orthopaedic Association’s (AOA) Own the Bone® program. Own the Bone is a national web-based quality improvement registry that incorporates 10 prevention measures and provides the tools needed for institutions to establish a fragility fracture service or fracture liaison service (FLS). FLS programs utilize a care coordinator to ensure that post-fracture patients are identified and receive appropriate evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment. The Own the Bone web-based registry offers institutions access to benchmarking capabilities that enable them to document improvements in patient care over time, as well as to compare results with other participating institutions nationwide.

It is never too early to learn more and start protecting yourself.

• One in two women and one in four men will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis.
• More than 53 million Americans already have osteoporosis or are at high risk due to low bone mass
• Less than half of patients receive the recommended osteoporosis care following a fracture.
• Women over 50 can lose up to 20% of their bone density in the five-to-seven years after menopause.
• Osteoporosis happens when you lose too much bone, make too little of it, or both.
• Calcium and vitamin D help keep your bones healthy! Consider changing up your diet to include more fruits and vegetables or taking supplements as needed.