Bone Fractures

If you are age 50 or older, there is a very good chance your bone fracture is related to osteoporosis. bone fractures (breaks) are most common in the hip, wrist, and spine, also called vertebrae. Vertebrae support your body, helping you to stand and sit up. Collapsed vertebrae may initially be felt or seen in the form of

• severe back pain
• loss of height
• spinal deformities such as kyphosis (severely stooped posture)

Osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million bone fractures annually, including approximately 300,000 hip fractures, 700,000 vertebral fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures, and more than 300,000 fractures at other sites.

• One in two women and one in four men will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime.
• At least 90 percent of all hip and spine fractures among older white women can be attributed to underlying bone fragility.
• Women near or past menopause who have sustained a fracture in the past are twice as likely to experience another bone fracture.
• Only 5 percent of patients with osteoporotic fractures are referred for an osteoporosis evaluation and medical treatment.

Fractures of the long bones (e.g. arm and leg bones) can acutely impair your ability to move about and may require surgery. Hip fracture, in particular, usually requires prompt surgery, as there are serious risks associated with a hip fracture, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and a pulmonary embolism (blockage of a blood vessel in the lung), and increased mortality (risk of death).