Healthy bones help you stay mobile and independent. It’s never too early to look after your bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Learn more about osteoporosis and osteopaenia, including common risk factors.
Osteoporosis is when bones lose their density and become thin, weak and fragile. This makes them more at risk of fracture, even from something as simple as a minor bump. Often there are no signs or symptoms of osteoporosis until a fracture occurs.
Any bone can be affected by osteoporosis, but the most common sites are:
The older you get, the greater the risk of osteoporosis. In Australia, it’s estimated that 23% of women over 50 have osteoporosis.
Risk factors include:
Other risk factors include:
Osteopaenia is when you have lower bone density, but not low enough to be classified as osteoporosis. If you have osteopaenia your risk of breaking a bone is higher than normal, but not as high as it is with osteoporosis.
If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopaenia, it’s important to follow your doctor’s recommendations about exercise and calcium and vitamin D intake.
Learn more about how osteoporosis treatments work. Visit the Healthy Bones Australia website.
This web page is designed to be informative and educational. It is not intended to provide specific medical advice or replace advice from your health practitioner. The information above is based on current medical knowledge, evidence and practice as at October 2023.
This content has been reviewed by a group of medical subject matter experts, in accordance with Jean Hailes policy.
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