Bone health is something that becomes even more important with age, yet it’s something many Australians ignore.
As a result, two-thirds of Australians aged over 50 have poor bone health, including brittle bones, low bone density and calcium deficiencies, and don’t know it, leaving many at risk of a break or fracture.
As we age our bones gradually lose density and become more susceptible to damage, meaning that a sudden fall or impact against the bone can do irreversible harm, even affecting our independence going forward.
In light of this, not-for-profit Osteoporosis Australia and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have teamed up to create Australia’s first fracture-risk self-assessment test, called Know Your Bones.
The test is available online and only takes 5 minutes to complete. After answering a series of questions, participants will be given a report to print out and take to their doctor to create an action plan for improving their bone health.
With 6.3 million Australians living with low bone density, it’s a test that could help many people avoid fractures and breaks in the future.
Osteoporosis Australia CEO Dr Greg Lyubomirsky says the test is an important development in bone health because so many people are currently unaware of the risk they’re facing.
“People usually think brittle bones come with old age, but actually from the age of 60, 40 per cent of women and 20 per cent of men will break a bone due to osteoporosis,” he said.
Lyubomirsky says women are more at risk of poor bone health because of changing oestrogen levels during menopause.
“Early menopause by itself is a risk factor but even during normal menopause time the oestrogen levels drop significantly and that’s when one needs to be really observant in terms of the quality of the bones, and ask, ‘are there any other risk factors?’.”
But it’s not just women dealing with this issue. Almost a quarter of all people living with osteoporosis are men. Hormone changes such as decreasing testosterone levels, medication and lifestyle can all cause increasing fragility in bones over time.
Other issues also come into play for both men and women; family history, low body weight, inflammatory conditions, overactive thyroid and some medications also affect bone density.
While the strength of your bones may naturally weaken as you age, it’s never too late to be proactive and make improvements, Osteoporosis Australia says.
“It’s important to build your bones during the early stages of your life so you prevent some of the devastating impact in later years, but it’s never too late either,” Dr Lyubomirsky explains.
“When you’re 60 or over you can do bone-building, weight-bearing or high-intensity exercise to build bone strength. You certainly also need to look at appropriate levels of vitamin D and calcium and if a fracture occurs, it’s obviously very important to evaluate the risk similar to any other disease.”
The Know Your Bones test is one of the easiest ways people can take a proactive stance to reduce their risk of a break or fracture.
“Currently, osteoporosis isn’t really associated with fractures and we need to make sure people understand that by taking the test, which is only five minutes and extremely painless, they’ll have a good understanding of their bone health and a good understanding of what the next steps are after that,” he says.
To mark New South Wales Seniors Week, anyone who takes the Know Your Bones test in March will go in the draw to win a two-night stay at the Ibis Sydney in Darling Harbour.
Osteoporosis Australia says the prize is a way of celebrating the kind of active and healthy lifestyle people with healthy bones can lead. The draw is open to entrants Australia-wide,
Meanwhile, Lyubomirsky says the best advice he can offer is to be proactive and take control of your bone health.
“Don’t put your health or your independence at risk, do the test online today and speak to your doctor about creating an action plan to keep your bones strong and healthy going forward,” he says.
Have you done the Know Your Bones test? Have you ever spoken to your doctor about your bone health? Share your story in the comments below.