stop! your bones need you to read this article whatever age you are! By Natalie McCulloch
So what is osteoporosis? Put simply, it is a condition where your bones lose strength, meaning you are more likely to break a bone than the average adult. The condition is often associated with elderly generations, but it can occasionally affect children and adults, so it’s helpful to learn about all the things that can put you at risk earlier in your life.
Have you heard of the term ‘osteoporosis?’ I’m guessing most people will say ‘YES’. Do you know it’s a term relating to bone health? Again, more than likely the answer is ‘YES’. Did you know you can be at risk at any age and can make positive changes to improve bone health? Hopefully the answer is ‘YES’ but many will say ‘NO’. Regardless of your answer, please read on to find out more!
In 2017 the Royal Osteoporosis Society, the only UK-wide organisation dedicated to finding a cure for osteoporosis and improving the lives of everyone affected by it, launched a campaign called ‘a message to my younger self’. The campaign, as it suggests, invited older generations of people to spread the message of the importance of securing good bone health from an early age. This campaign is no longer ‘live’ however, the need to continue spreading the message continues.
Let’s start with some facts: • According to the NHS over 3 million people in the UK are affected by osteoporosis and more than 500,000 people receive hospital treatment as a result of it annually. • There are simple everyday changes you can, and should, make to improve your bone health. • As you get older, the strength of the bone tissue you do have also starts to naturally decrease. This increases your risk of osteoporosis and broken bones. • Ultimately ‘there’s no bones about it – now is the ideal time to start looking after your bone health!’ Your future self may thank you!
We build our bones when we are young and reach optimum bone density and strength around the age of 30. Past age 30 there is still room for improvement, so weight-bearing with impact (e.g. jogging, skipping) and muscle resistance exercise
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Article - Natalie McCulloch - Marc... page 2
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