Osteoporotic femoral neck fracture

In most cases, there are initially no physical signs whatsoever that indicate osteoporosis. As a rule, this disease only becomes apparent when the initial stage of the disease has already been passed through, i.e. bone resorption has already begun and as a result the first bone fractures have already occurred.Due to the relatively high load, bones break particularly frequently in the area of for example: A quite common side effect of fractures of the neck of the femur, which are usually caused by lateral falls, are fractures in the area of the wrists, which are caused by the fact that one is instinctively tempted to cushion falls. In advanced stages of osteoporosis, a slight slip, a slight twist or even carrying a heavy shopping bag is enough to cause fractures of the vertebrae (vertebral body fracture).

Coughing can also cause rib fractures in these advanced stages of osteoporosis. Since bone formation and resorption are not equally weighted in the case of osteoporosis, healing of the fractures is also quite difficult. There are patients whose bones never recover from fractures, so that under certain circumstances they may need permanent care.

As already mentioned above, osteoporosis makes itself felt through changes in appearance. Examples are the so-called “hunchback“, also called “hump” or even “widow’s hump” and the “shrinking” of older people, i.e. the reduction in height by several centimeters. Women are affected by these mentioned problems with above-average frequency.

Hip,
Forearm,
Femoral neck or in the area of the spine.

Nutrition in osteoporosis

In osteoporosis, nutrition plays an extremely important role in both prophylaxis and treatment. Especially when there are risk factors for osteoporosis or when the disease is already present, one should ensure a balanced diet, which means that all necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements are taken in sufficiently, but not too much, with the diet. Furthermore, radical diets and both overweight and underweight should be avoided if possible.

Since this disease is based on increased bone fragility, it is of great importance that the bones are (re)strengthened from within as much as possible. In addition to regular physical activity and possibly drug therapy, nutrition is a crucial pillar with which one can positively influence the development and course of osteoporosis. One of the most important components of bone is calcium, which ensures that the bone gains in density and hardness.

Consequently, a calcium-rich diet is indicated if one wants to prevent osteoporosis or is already suffering from this disease. The ideal amount is about 1500 mg of calcium per day, but if this amount is exceeded by far, it can have a negative effect on bone metabolism. Especially much calcium is contained in: It should also be remembered that the need for calcium is increased for women during pregnancy and lactation and also for adolescents.

A sufficient supply of vitamins is also crucial in osteoporosis. Especially important is vitamin D3, which is involved in bone formation and can also increase the absorption of calcium from the gastrointestinal tract. In order to ensure a sufficiently high concentration of this vitamin in the body, it is important on the one hand to take it in through food (a lot of vitamin D is found in fish and dairy products, among other things) and on the other hand to spend at least half an hour a day in the sun (this includes spending time under cloudy skies), since UV radiation is necessary to convert this vitamin in the body into its active form. But other vitamins are also essential elements of an osteoporosis diet: some acids such as malic and citric acid (found in various fruits) and lactose are able to increase the absorption of calcium from the intestines.

Dairy products (milk, practically all types of cheese, yoghurt and quark),
Green vegetables (especially in kale, broccoli, fennel and leek),
Some herbs (dill, parsley),
In some types of fish and also increasingly in
Mineral water (up to 500 mg in just one liter).
Namely vitamin C (in vegetables and fruit),
Vitamin K (also in vegetables),
Vitamin B6 (in whole grain products) and trace elements (fluorine, copper, zinc, contained in whole grain products, nuts and oat flakes)