Osteoporosis is an aging-related disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. Throughout the course of the disease, bone becomes thinner and more porous, thus leading to a decrease in structural integrity as the bone density decreases. Often times, complications from the disease can lead to permanent disability, often impairing a person’s unassisted mobility.

Prevalence of the disease increases with age, both in men and women, but osteoporosis affects women four times more often than men. Approximately 21% of postmenopausal women in the United States have osteoporosis. People of African descent have high bone mass, and thus lower incidence of osteoporosis than Caucasians.

Hip and vertebral fractures are the most common results of osteoporosis in the aging population. These fractures occur most often in the elderly and are typically a result of a combination of trauma and decreased bone density. Porous bones cannot take the same amount of stress that healthy bones can withstand, and slight falls can lead to traumatic results. Wrist fractures are also common in women with osteoporosis for the same reasons. All of these injuries can lead pain and deformity, in addition to the obvious loss of mobility.

There are several physical characteristics exhibited by those who suffer from osteoporosis. One telltale sign of the disease is the “Dowager’s hump.” This hump in the back is a result of vertebral compression fractures, and it is painful in severe cases. Vertebral compression and the “hump” can also cause irreversible height loss, often as much as two inches. A protruding abdomen is another characteristic of the disease, because curvature of the spine reduces abdominal space, thus causing the intestines to protrude outward. Decreased lung capacity and acid reflux may also develop due to reduction in abdominal space.

People at highest risk for osteoporosis include postmenopausal women, especially with a family history of hip or vertebral fractures, anorexics, those who have had marrow diseases or have suffered spinal cord injuries, those who suffer from Lupus, those with a below healthy weight, and those who smoke cigarettes.

Prevention of osteoporosis in aging populations begins with awareness. Bone density screenings can be performed by your doctor to find out if you are at risk or are in the early stages of osteoporosis. Those at high risk are encouraged to discuss symptoms with their doctors. Women who are within ten years of menopause may take estrogen supplements to help prevent bone loss, as estrogen therapy is highly effective in preventing hip fractures in elderly women.