Leg – As the bones weaken, they may bend — causing you to become bowlegged. Enlarged and misshapen bones in your legs can put extra stress on nearby joints, which may cause osteoarthritis in your knee or hip.
Weight-bearing aerobic activities
Examples include walking, dancing, low-impact aerobics, elliptical training machines, stair climbing and gardening. These types of exercise work directly on bones in the legs, hips and lower spine to slow bone loss.
Those more affected by osteoporosis had difficulties with walking even short distances.
People with osteoporosis may not have any symptoms. Some may have pain in their bones and muscles, particularly in their back. Sometimes a collapsed vertebra may cause severe pain, decrease in height, or spinal deformity.
Osteoporosis is often referred to as a 'silent condition' and often a fracture is the first symptom that leads to investigation and diagnosis of the condition. Pain is not a symptom of osteoporosis in the absence of fractures.
Warning signs, risk factors and symptoms
There are, however, some 'red flags' to look out for and, if you're concerned, speak to a doctor about. These include severe ongoing back pain, your spine having become curved, and that you have lost height.
People with osteoporosis are at risk for decreased mobility because their bones are susceptible to fracture. And, fractures—particularly in the hips and spine—can threaten your ability to move freely.
Stage 4. In this stage, your osteoporosis is very severe. Your risk of fractures is higher than in stage three, and you may actually have symptoms. The severe bone loss in stage 4 leads to changes in your spine, such as a stooped posture,and loss of height.
In addition to managing your osteoporosis, it's important to avoid activities that may cause a fracture. Such activities include movements that involve twisting your spine, like swinging a golf club, or bending forward from the waist, like sit ups and toe touches.
Severe (established) osteoporosis is defined as having a bone density that is more than 2.5 SD below the young adult mean with one or more past fractures due to osteoporosis.
It's not clear why people with osteoporosis may experience fatigue, but it could be because your body is lacking in vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency can contribute to both poor bone health and make you feel tired. Another connection may be between certain medications taken for osteoporosis.
Posture exercises can help you work against the "sloping" shoulders that can happen with osteoporosis and lower your chances of spine fractures. Routines such as yoga and Pilates can improve strength, balance, and flexibility in people with osteoporosis.
The short answer is no, osteoporosis cannot be completely reversed and is not considered curable, but there are a number of health and lifestyle adjustments you can make to improve bone loss. Your provider may also prescribe you medications to help rebuild and slow down bone loss.
Osteoporosis is not a terminal illness and does not directly influence life expectancy. However, having a fracture can affect it.
A 50-year-old man beginning osteoporosis treatment had an average life expectancy of 18.2 years, while a man age 75 had an expectancy of 7.5 years. A 50-year-old woman beginning osteoporosis treatment had a 26.4-year life expectancy, while at 75, the figure was 13.5 years.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you're worried about your risk of falls or bone fractures. They'll help you stay safe and healthy. Osteoporosis makes your bones thinner and weaker than they should be. It can be dangerous because it makes you more likely to experience a bone fracture.
Walking is good for osteoporosis depending on the speed and duration of your walking routine. As a weight-bearing cardiovascular activity that provides multiple benefits to your overall health and well-being, walking exercises your heart, lungs, and bones, promoting increased stamina and longevity.
Osteoporosis can cause a loss of height due to a broken bone in the spinal column. This means the spine is no longer able to support your body's weight, which causes a hunched posture. This can be painful when it happens, but it can also lead to long-term pain.
Osteoporosis often has no symptoms. The first sign that you may have it is when you break a bone in a relatively minor fall or accident (known as a low-impact fracture). Fractures are most likely in the hip, spine or wrist.
There are no symptoms in the early stages of osteoporosis. Many times, people will have a fracture before learning they have the disease. Fractures of the bones of the spine can cause pain almost anywhere in the spine. These are called compression fractures.