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Osteoporosis
Prevalent, painful disease not a fundtion of 'old age'

by Health Library

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease in the United States, and, as our population ages, it is becoming ever more prevalent.

Contrary to common myth, osteoporosis is not part of normal aging and it is not found only in older women. While there are identifiable risk factors, everyone is susceptible to osteoporosis. In fact, up to on half of all women and a quarter of all men over 50 will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture.

Because it reduces bone density and quality osteoporosis causes fractures and may rob people of their mobility and independence. It can even hasten death. But osteoporosis is also a "silent" disease. It is not painful until there is a fracture. Often, it takes a broken bone to detect osteoporosis. But the good news is that osteoporosis can be diagnosed early through easy, painless bone-density testing. And once identified, it can be treated.

It is important that people understand their personal risk factors and develop strategies for prevention and options for treatment. Among the many osteoporosis resources at the Stanford Health Library are the books discussed below.

The book 100 Questions & Answers about Osteoporosis and Osteopenia, by Ivy M. Alexander and Karla A. Knight (Jones and Bartlett, 2006) is a good place to start learning more about osteoporosis. Written by nurses in an easy-to-read question and answer format, this book is another winner from the popular 100 Questions & Answers series. It provides an excellent overview of osteoporosis and osteopenia, including a discussion of risk factors, whom should be tested and how the disease is diagnosed. For those who have been diagnosed, this book addresses effective disease-management strategies, such as exercise, calcium supplements, and medication. An appendix illustrates exercises that are effective for prevention and management.

Action Plan for Osteoporosis: Your Guide to Stronger, Healthier Bones, by Kerri Winters-Stone (Human Kinetics, 2005), aims to help those with osteoporosis thrive. Endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine, the book focuses primarily on the benefits of exercise, but nutrition and medication issues are also covered. The author believes that improving the health of the musculoskeletal system is more effective than diet or drugs alone.

Readers will learn how to develop a customized fitness program to meet their individual needs. Photo illustrations demonstrate proper form for stretching and exercise, to help people with osteoporosis achieve the maximum benefit from their workouts and to be safe.

One chapter focuses on nutrition, to help readers make wise food choices and increase their intake of calcium and other nutrients that build bone. Another chapter discusses the pros and cons of osteoporosis medication and includes information on the combined effect of these drugs with exercise. The chapter, "Finding Ways to Prevent Falls," addresses an important cause of osteoporotic fractures. This chapter helps people develop their own fall-reduction strategy by evaluating both lifestyle and environment. Action Plan for Osteoporosis is just that — a plan of action full of useful and encouraging information for those with low bone density.

The Johns Hopkins White Papers provide an annual overview of current understanding for a given field: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. They report on the latest studies and feature stories on topics they feel deserve special attention that year. One of their titles is Back Pain and Osteoporosis. The 2006 issue, the most recent, includes "Safeguarding Your Bones: Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?"; "If You Have Osteopenia, Do You Need Treatment?" and "Attention Men: Osteoporosis is Not Just a Women's Disease." The book is packed with useful tips based on recent research, such as the benefits and risks of vitamin supplementation, drug therapy, and tai chi. The Back Pain and Osteoporosis White Papers for years 2001-2006 are on the shelves of the Stanford Health Library. The 2007 edition will be available soon.

The Stanford Health Library offers many more resources for those concerned with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Visit healthlibrary.stanford.edu for more information. Visit the library, call or send an e-mail for research assistance and information packets that are prepared free of charge. Branches are located at the Stanford Shopping Center near Bloomingdale's, on the third floor of Stanford Hospital or on the main level of Stanford's new Cancer Center. Call the Health Library at 650-725-8400 or visit healthlibrary.stanford.edu or send an e-mail to healthlibrary@stanfordmed.org.