Fragility Fractures

Awareness is Key making you drowsy or decrease focus Fragility Fractures or balance. Fragility Fractures are those fractures that I invite you to ask the following questions: 6. Optimize your Diet. Needless to occur with injuries that you would not think  Was the injury bad enough or could say, Calcium, Vitamin D, and protein should break a bone. Examples include it be that your bone is weak enough to are very important for your bone health. falling off the bed or wheelchair, slipping break with a low impact injury? A healthy diet, supported by doctor on ice, and several other low impact recommended supplements when  Do you think it is worth it to injuries. Classic examples include hip, back needed can go a long way.* fracture and wrist (distal radius) fractures. prevent a more serious injury? Testing and Treatment Fragility fractures are a result of weak  Would you like to get help to prevent similar injuries? bones. The most common cause of weak Patients who test positive for osteoporosis bones is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is very There are a lot of simple things that can be benefit from osteoporosis medications. The common. About 52 million Americans done to prevent fragility fractures. key point is to be tested. Women should have or are at risk of osteoporosis. Of 1. Start with your home. Optimize have a bone mineral density test those, two million break a bone each year. performed at the time of menopause and This number is expected to double by 2040. your home for fall-prevention by removing obstacles, such as books on regularly afterwards. Elderly men and Approximately one in two women and one women, especially with a prior fragility in four men aged 50 years or older break a the ground, wires, or toys. Install safety rails in the bathroom and use nightlight. fracture should be tested as well. bone due to osteoporosis. While a wrist Osteoporosis medicine can decrease risk fracture may not have the most severe 2. Optimize your vision and obtain of fragility fractures by half. Unfortunately, impact on life style, a back fracture, or regular eye checkups. Bad vision makes only 1 in 5 patients actually receive proper worse, a patient with a hip fracture, may it easier to trip. Use your glasses as treatment and prevention measures. end up in a nursing home for life. There is prescribed and make sure they are also 25% increased risk of death following doing their job. Make sure there is For more information about fragility a hip fracture. enough light indoors. fractures, please visit UpperExt.com One fracture may be a sign that another one 3. Be aware of the environment. Do *Recommended daily doses are 800-1,000 is on its way. If you have a broken wrist, you expect ice outside home? Is it units of vitamin D per day and 1,000-1,500 and suspect it is a fragility fracture, this is going to be slippery on the porch? Do mg of calcium per day. the perfect time to prevent a future, you live on steep hill? Be careful when possibly much more serious, one. the weather is bad and when it is Prevention of fragility fractures getting dark. 4. Take a fall prevention class. Join an Osteoporosis is a silent disease, and a lot of exercise class that focuses on balance patients don't know about it until they break such as Tai Chi. a bone. Even then, the break is frequently 5. Review your medications with your blamed on weather or age. regular doctor to ensure they are not