Osteoporosis is a disease of bone in which the amount of bone is decreased and the
strength of trabecular bone is reduced, cortical bone becomes thin and bones are
susceptible to fracture.
It is defined according to the bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by DEXA: a BMD
of 2.5 standard deviations below the peak bone mass (20 year old person standard) is
considered osteoporosis. While treatment modalities are becoming available,
prevention is still the most important way to reduce fracture.
Osteoporosis can be prevented with lifestyle changes and sometimes medication; in people with osteoporosis, treatment may involve both. Lifestyle change includes preventing falls and exercise; medication includes calcium, vitamin D, bisphosphonates and several others. Fall-prevention advice includes exercise to tone deambulatory muscles, proprioception-improvement exercises; equilibrium therapies may be included. Exercise with its anabolic effect, may at the same time stop or reverse osteoporosis.
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