Osteoporosis

A condition in which the skeleton is subject to a loss of bone mass and resistance, due to several factors. These can be both nutritional, metabolic and pathological. The skeleton is therefore subject to greater risk of fractures due to decreased bone density and bone changes. Some causes are only a consequence of aging, therefore a natural process, such as the formation of wrinkles or white hair, but can have a social impact and is highly disabling, if not cured. It is not a painful illness until a pathological fracture or even a trivial trauma develops. Osteoporosis, if not adequately treated, predisposes to fractures with a reduction in quality of life, life expectancy and health complications. Normally this disease is associated with menopausal women but in reality the latest updates show that men are also affected. The treatment consists mainly in prevention with a proper diet, calcium intake and vitamin D adjusted for age, but also physical exercise. This should be regular and appropriate to body weight, where the muscles and bones work against gravity, then loading or where a load is applied to the involved parts. Research shows that a physical activity program strengthens bones and significantly reduces the risk of fractures, both from compression in the central area of ​​the spine, and from other parts of the body. A study conducted in America also demonstrated the usefulness of a certain type of exercise, comparing a group that practiced this program, with another group that did not practice this gymnastics and with a third group that did not practice any exercise program. The last two groups suffered more fractures in the year following the research study. A physical activity program must be appropriate to the individual and to the state of health, not just the bones, and must be done with a progression indicated for the person.