What is osteoporosis?

For the first time, 150 years ago, Sir Ashley Cooper noted that femoral neck fractures is most likely due to age reduction in bone mass or bone quality. The term "osteoporosis" was introduced into medicine in 19 century in France and Germany, as a histological description of senile bone, emphasizing the apparent porosity of bone tissue (from Greek: osteon - bone + poros - pore). Subsequently, the term began to be used to distinguish this condition from the bone in osteomalacia and rickets are already used to designate the reduced amount of bone mass in normal bone mineralization.

The definition of the World Health Organization, osteoporosis is the most common systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and impaired micro-architectonics of bone tissue, leading to increased bone fragility and an increased risk of fractures.

Bone mass of adults is determined by the algebraic sum of the amount of peak bone mass and size followed by menopause and / or age bone loss. In this regard, the 2 nd major pathogenetic determinants of osteoporosis are:

• Accumulation of relatively low peak bone mass (PKM) in childhood and adolescence. In this case, even minimal bone loss with age will lead to low bone mass and high osteoporosis risk. It was found that PKM determined in 50-70%, (for trabecular and cortical bone) bone mass in adulthood and therefore has prognostic criterion of first order in the etiopathogenesis of osteoporosis.
• Significant bone loss (such as magnitude, velocity and duration) in menopouzata and / or at a later age.

Osteoporosis can develop in  individuals of all ages, but is three times more common in women than men. Against the backdrop of lower peak bone mass accrued to the second decade of life, after menopause women lose with age 35-50% of trabecular bone and 25-30% of their cortical bone. Bone loss in men occurs later and is associated with a reduction of 15-45% in trabecular and 5-15% in cortical bone.

In the majority of affected individuals bone loss occurs gradually with no symptoms in the beginning, so osteoporosis is called the "silent thief". In more advanced stages, the disease is accompanied by acute or chronic pain and spinal deformities.

Leading and most often the first clinical manifestations of osteoporosis are fractures that occur due to loss of a significant amount of bone mass and related reduced mechanical strength of the skeleton. It is assumed that 50% of women and 25% of men over the age of 60 will suffer at least one fracture during the remainder of their life.

The main locations of osteoporosis fractures in age between 60-70 years are in the wrist, but those of the hip (especially femoral neck) vertebrae and are leading in patients over 70 years

Importantly, over 50% of osteoporosis fractures are caused by minimal or moderate trauma (so-called "low-energy trauma"). In the majority (76%) occur in a fall at home and are defined as fractures within the four walls.

The most common and serious complications were femoral neck fractures. After a severe hip fracture 5-20% of patients die from complications during the first year.

The risk of death from hip fracture in a 50-year-old woman is equal to the risk she died of breast cancer and greater than that associated with endometrial cancer:

•  Hip fracture: 2.8%
•  Breast cancer: 2.8%
•  Endometrial cancer: 0.7%

Overall, a hip fracture reduced life expectancy by 12-20%. Around 11% of surviving patients become disabled completely. Only one third of patients recover functional capabilities. In other cases noted in varying degrees reduced quality of life due to loss of function, immobility, pain, social isolation and psychological problems can be seen.

For 20 years - from 70's to early 90's of 20th century, the number of limb fractures has increased by 14% (22% for women and 1% for men). Predicts are that if in 1990 the world were registered 1.7 million osteoporosis fractures, then in 2050 will reach 6.3 million), and 4.5 million of them will be the femoral neck fractures. Only in the European Community shall be considered in the next 50 years, hip fractures will rise more than twice - from 414 to 972 thousand.

Physical activity and calcium intake - these are the  ways to reduce the risk of osteoporosis

It has been shown that movement signals from muscle contractions are transmitted to the skeleton and any increase in volume or intensity of traffic signals in turn to the need to enhance osteogenesis.

Until now, the world will develop and rigid exercise programs for the prevention of bone health. Several basic principles allow anyone to make a program that frequency, intensity and type of exercise would have suited his age, condition and treniranost:

• Because the continuous and uninterrupted movement and load proved positive incentives for bone and muscle systems and other aspects of health, physical activity and exercise are critical throughout life.
• The load on a skeletal area will have local osteogenen effect. In other words, a certain type of exercise do not have full impact vahu all bones. However, any type of activity to better reflect the bone system of restraint.
• Only dynamic load causes an anabolic effect on bone tissue. Loads with less force, but with greater cycle, ie attached longer have the same effect as heavy loads for short periods.
• Bone cells respond most strongly to the accepted deviations from the normal load to which they are subjected. Thus, rarely repeated loads experienced during routine activities, are more likely to stimulate osteogenesis than normal loads during normal activity. The more unusual is the load distribution in a given bone site, the greater is its potential to increase bone density that myasto.Statichnite loads (eg standing), as they are long do not contribute to increasing bone mass.
• The absolute lack of movement causes bone loss. Where it is impossible to avoid immobilization (zalezhavane due to illness), even short-term antigravity exercise helps to reduce or slow bone loss.
• Antigravity exercises with high intensity (jumps or jump rope), leading to accumulation of more bone mass than those with average or low-intensity or endurance exercises (eg, fast walking, vigane weights). However, they have their role to improve bone health by increasing muscle mass and strength, balance and coordination of movements. In adults, they are ideal prevention of falls. On the other hand, exercise endurance are crucial for the prevention of obesity, diabetes and CVD.
• Antigravity exercises with high intensity (jump, jump rope) does not require a longer duration - 5-10 minutes a day is sufficient. For the same positive effect on the skeleton requires a longer duration if you do exercises for lifting weights or walking / jogging - 30-40 minutes daily. The basic rule is to arrive at such length progressively, ie at the beginning of shorter duration are carried out in mild exercise (less weights, walking) and then time and intensity of the workload increased by more than 10 % per week.
• Exercise programs, including exercises with various loads (aerobic) is more pronounced osteogenen effect of such a uniform or regular loads (running).
• As a minimum, children and adolescents should be involved daily preferably at least 60 minutes moderate to intense physical activity.
• The minimum for adults is 30 minutes daily or daily physical activity of moderate intensity (walking napr.barzo).
• Usual daily activity and at least 2 times and antigravity exercises such endurance is sufficient for the prevention of bone health in older people. In addition to these aforementioned classes are recommended, and any other activity helps to improve body balance and coordination of movement (fall protection).
• Termination of a physical regime resulting in a reduction in bone mass and density to the level before its inception. Often due to lack of motivation or interest to make people stop programs from repetitive and tedious exercise. For a program to last longer needed diversity and succession of different types of exercises.

Calcium as a natural enemy of osteoporosis

Do you know why each of us must take their daily dose of calcium? The reasons are many:

• By the age of 30 our body accumulates calcium, and then starts to lose it. It is therefore important that our body is loaded with calcium every day.
• Increased calcium intake (through dairy products and foods fortified with calcium) leads to increased bone uptake in the years of growth, maintaining bone mass in adulthood and decreases bone loss in old age.
• Optimal bone health and prevention of osteoporosis and osteoporosis fractures can be ensured only through a balanced diet throughout life and adoption of adequate amounts of calcium.
• In fact, osteoporosis is a disease in which the bone loses its calcium, skeletal strength and reduced endurance and increased risk of severe debilitating fractures, mainly in the spine, wrist and hip.
• Of course the most important is the role of calcium for the bone system. When the amount is reduced strength of the skeleton breaks down and so increases the risk of broken bones, even with daily workloads - while working, traveling, or dancing.
• You may not know, but calcium does wonders against a powerful enemy like osteoporosis. Logical consequence of the fact that he is the main mineral that makes up bone, calcium intake with food is the leading factor that determines their strength.
• Calcium is crucial for health and beauty of hair, teeth and nails.

But the benefits of calcium do not stop there - Today, medical science has shown that timely prevention of osteoporosis since childhood, when the skeleton is stored "bank" of calcium for life is the surest way to curb this disease.