Bone Density, Osteoporosis And The Risk Of Bone Fracture
In another study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1989, use of anti-anxiety medication like benzodiazapines and other tranquilizers increased the risk of hip fracture by 70%. More recently, a large percentage of falls (and ensuing fractures) reported in a nursing home study were attributed to women rushing to the bathroom in the dark.
For a comprehensive look at the real risk of fracture, I recommend reading Gillian Sanson’s insightful book, The Myth of Osteoporosis. She cites a 1991 article from the British Medical Journal which concluded that differences in bone density between individuals could not predict who would suffer a fracture later in life. The most significant factors were luck, conditions that increase the risk of falling, and the loss of responsive reflexes.
Here’s one statistic that may simplify everything: over 85% of women turning 50 years old today will never have a hip fracture, regardless of their bone density. Perhaps when we’re 80 we’ll all feel comfortable wearing aerodynamic hip pads under our clothes — a simple device that’s been proven to prevent broken hip bones.
Spine fractures and “dowager’s hump”
Losing height and getting a hump are two images of osteoporosis seared into our brain by the media — but the truth behind spine fractures is less daunting. Most vertebral fractures are due to compression and are symptom-free.
Spinal compression occurs when the cushioning tissue between each vertebrae deteriorates over time — it has nothing to do with osteoporosis unless you have been diagnosed with spinal osteoporosis. Losing height for the vast majority of women is just part of gravity’s pull.
Spinal deformity caused by hairline fractures in the vertebrae can cause curvature of the spine and back pain: the dreaded “dowager’s hump”. The chance of developing this condition is exceedingly rare in women under 80.
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