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Osteoporosis Patient Education
Lifestyle Modification
Exercise
- Regular weight-bearing exercises and muscle strengthening exercises can improve agility, strength, posture and balance, which may help to prevent falls
- Jogging, brisk walking, tai chi, weight training
- Type of exercise will depend on age of patient and physical ability
- At least 30 minutes of regular exercise 3-4 x/week is recommended
- May modestly increase bone density (for as long as exercise is being done)
- Both associated with increased risk of osteoporotic fractures and should be avoided
- Alcohol intake may be limited to <2 units/day
- Caffeinated drinks should be limited to <1-2 servings/day (240-360 mL/serving)
Fall Prevention
- Counsel the patient, especially the elderly, on ways to reduce risk of falls
- Measures to prevent falls (eg installing grab bars/handrails, nonslip flooring, adequate lighting, removing loose wires, keeping things within reach)
- Hip protectors may help reduce the impact on the hip during the fall
- Evaluate for certain medications (eg sedatives, hypnotics, narcotic analgesics, antihypertensives), neurologic conditions, alcohol, poor vision and hearing, frailty and deconditioning as these may lead to falls
- Recommend exercise and physical therapy referral
Support Devices
- Eg braces, lumbar corset, posture-training support devices
- Recommended for patients with acute vertebral fractures or multiple vertebral fractures associated with chronic pain
- Provides significant pain relief by decreasing the load on fracture sites and realigning the spinal column
