What causes Osteoporosis?
Those that smoke or drink in excess of the recommended daily alcohol intake are at greater risk, but gender, genetics, age, race and low body weight are all contributing factors.
In the healthy skeleton, bone resorption formation occurs in a balanced and organised fashion, but in the case of osteoporosis, this balance is lost. This might be because of:
- Insufficient mass and strength development in the first instance
- Excessive bone resorption
- Inadequate formation of new bone during remodelling
The disease may be classified as:
- Primary type 1 resulting in women after the menopause due to reduced oestrogen production
- Primary type 2 naturally occurring after the age of 75 in both women and men on a ratio of 2:1
- Secondary due to specific chronic medical conditions or as a result of certain medications such as corticosteroids. This does not tend to be age dependant, and effects men as often as women
Due to its larger surface area, cancellous bone is more subject to bone turnover and hence prone to the effects of inappropriate metabolism of bone. In osteoporosis, the supportive bony trabecular break, and are replaced by thinner, weaker bone making them fragile and more prone to fracture.
Because the wrist, hip and spine have more cancellous bone than cortical compared to other areas of the body, relying on trabecula for strength, these areas at greater risk of osteoporotic fractures.
How Osteopathy can help ?
