Restoring My Complexion

4 Tips For Preventing Fractures When You Have Osteoporosis

6 July 2017 by Dylan Owens

After being diagnosed with osteoporosis, you may worry about how your brittle bones are more likely to fracture and want to do everything you can to keep it from happening. If so, use one or more of the following tips for preventing fractures when you have osteoporosis.

Perform Weight-Bearing Exercises Every Day

When you have osteoporosis, your bones weaken and become brittle because they are no longer able to freely absorb enough calcium and other minerals. Especially if you live a sedentary lifestyle, this deterioration can happen rapidly because the body does not sense the need to increase your bones' intake of nutrients.

When you include weight-bearing exercises in your daily routine, the resistance and movement of the exercises put slight pressure on your bones. This reoccurring pressure forces your body to send extra nutrients to build them up.

Depending on your current activity level and other health issues, the exercises you choose can be tailored to your needs. You could start taking walks every day or sign up for a yoga class that involves gentle strengthening poses. Discuss your options with your doctor before you add the exercises to ensure other health problems would not be adversely affected.

Wear Shoes with Plenty of Support

Whether you are performing your weight-bearing exercises or simply cleaning the house, make sure you are wearing shoes with plenty of support. This includes full arch support and enough cushioning to keep your feet even and balanced.

If you wear flat shoes or those without cushioning, your weight will not be evenly distributed between your feet or among the bones, joints, and ligaments. This unevenness could create an imbalance in your stride, increasing your risk of falling.

Also, shoes without proper support put a bulk of your body weight directly on the center of your foot's arch. If you were to step too hard, you could suffer a stress fracture in your foot because your brittle bones are unable to bear the extra burden.

Keep the Lights On

If you are used to walking around in the dark when you wake up in the middle of the night, you risk bumping into a piece of furniture or tripping over an object left on the floor. Because you cannot fully see, you risk breaking a leg when you hit the dining table or fracturing your hip if you were to trip and fall.

Make sure you have some source of light when moving around at night. You could place nightlights in your bedroom or down the hallway.

Or, if you have trouble sleeping with any kind of light on, leave a flashlight on your bedside table. Put it on the end of the table where you can easily grab it so you do not have to fumble around in the darkness trying to find it.

Make Your Home Fall-Proof

Along with keeping some sort of light available, make an effort to keep your home fall-proof. Whether you are walking around at night or rushing through your daily routine, clutter and other trip hazards could make you trip and fall.

First, clear away any unnecessary clutter on the floor. For example, if you have baskets scattered around your living room floor for decoration and for holding magazines, find a place for them above ground.

Also, if you have area rugs, get rid of them. Even if they are fastened to the floor with tape or nails, the slight increase in height could catch your toes, throw you off-balance, and send you falling to the floor.

Using the above tips and precautions can help reduce your risk of suffering a fracture. If you have need of further guidance, discuss your concerns with the doctor treating your osteoporosis so they can recommend additional action and treatment to help reduce your chance of breaking a bone and keep your bones healthy and intact.

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