Last year, 155,000 Australians suffered a fracture – that’s one broken bone every 3.4 minutes.
Greg Lyubomirsky, CEO of Osteoporosis Australia, appeared on our radio show last Sunday. He explained osteoporosis happens when your bones deteriorate faster than they can repair themselves – and many people don’t know they have it until they break a bone.
“Over the age of 60, at least four out of 10 women can have a fracture due to osteoporosis. And two out of 10 men will have a fracture,” Greg says.
The first you may know you are a sufferer is when you break a bone in your foot just by walking around.
Women are considered more at risk, particularly those who have undergone early menopause, because the loss of estrogen slows bone growth.
But men still have the same risk as women – it just occurs a bit later in life.
Reducing your risk
Osteoporosis Australia has a quick five-minute test called Know Your Bones that calculates your risk of osteoporosis or fracture and gives you a summary you can take along to your GP.
I did it, I am at risk and am following up with my doctor. You can take the test here.
And while there is no cure for osteoporosis, once you are diagnosed there are treatments available that can cut your risk of further fractures by 50 per cent, according to Greg.
There is good news too. Greg says there are steps you can take to reduce your risk – being active, doing weight-bearing exercise, eating calcium-rich foods and making sure you get enough Vitamin D through sun exposure can all help.
It’s reassuring to hear.
You can listen to the podcast of our interview with Greg below.
