Hearing a lot about osteoporosis lately? With 10 million Americans affected by osteoporosis and 18 million more at risk for the disorder, the importance of preventing, treating, and managing osteoporosis is finally getting more attention. And more people are realizing that though osteoporosis still affects mostly women, one in five men will also have an osteoporotic fracture.

In osteoporosis, the body's bones weaken, becoming porous and brittle. What happens is that existing bone breaks down before new bone can replace it. The resulting loss of bone density and strength can cause painful bone fractures in susceptible areas of the body like the wrist, hip and spine.

One of the newest methods of treating osteoporotic compression fractures, Kyphoplasty, is now being performed here at SpineCare.

SpineCare is participating in a national outcome-based registry to investigate this new therapy for vertebral fractures associated with osteoporosis. Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgical procedure to repair the fractured vertebra.

When osteoporotic back bones fracture, the spine starts to fall forward and shorten. The result? Pain, problems with posture, and a constricting of the lungs as the broken vertebrae fall forward. Kyphoplasty uses a balloon to expand the broken back bone, so the surgeon can inject bone cement between the cracks. The balloon and cement together straighten the bone and the spine back to a more upright position and stabilize the broken vertebra. And too, expanding the collapsed bone potentially reduces the uncomfortable pressure on the lungs.

Just as in hip fractures, it is important to do the procedure as soon as possible after the back bone fractures. SpineCare is working in conjunction with radiologists, primary care physicians, and emergency room doctors to catch patients early enough to correct the fracture.

For more information about Kyphoplasty, please see the company's website at www.kyphon.com. For an evaluation, please call our New Patient Coordinators at (650) 985-7547.

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Osteoporosis: The Latest in Prevention

In most people, osteoporosis is not an inevitable disease of aging, as many believe, but a preventable disease. Most of us know the building blocks behind the prevention of osteoporosis--a healthy diet with plenty of calcium and bone-building exercises--but what is the best way to get them?

Calcium Supplements

Is one calcium supplement better than all others? Probably not unless you are predisposed for kidney stones. As long as you are getting the recommended dose of calcium (between 1000 and 1500 milligrams) per day, you are on the right track. But it is important to know how to take the supplements correctly. For instance, calcium alone will not be absorbed effectively unless combined with Vitamin D. We all need between 400 and 800 IU (International Units) of Vitamin D each day. We can get this from 10-15 minutes in the sun three times per week, along with a balanced diet containing fortified foods and vegetables high in Vitamin D. Many calcium supplements also include Vitamin D in the ingredient list--be sure to check for it. Also, do not take calcium along with iron supplements; iron interferes with calcium absorption. Finally, avoid taking more than 500-600mg of calcium at once. More than that and your body will be unable to absorb it all.

There are three major forms of calcium found in supplements: calcium carbonate (the most popular), calcium citrate, and calcium phosphate (least popular and least known). Check the ingredient label to see what you are taking. Calcium carbonate is the most cost-effective, but it must be taken with a meal to be properly absorbed. Examples include "Tums" and "OsCal."

Calcium citrate is most easily absorbed and can be taken at any time of the day, though it tends to be more expensive. For individuals with kidney stones, this is the best choice. "Citracal" is a brand that contains calcium citrate.

Weight-Bearing Exercise

We all know that exercise is important for overall health, but what kind of exercise is best for strong bones? When it comes to bone strength, not all exercise is equal. Weight-bearing exercises, those that work bones and muscles against gravity, are vital to maintain bone mass and muscle strength. The good news is that weight-bearing doesn't necessarily mean weight-lifting; you don't need a set of equipment to strengthen your bones.

Weight-bearing exercises include walking, jogging, dancing, weight-lifting, tennis, and even vigorous gardening. It does NOT include swimming or biking. These two exercises, while excellent cardiovascular workouts, do not stress the bones enough to build the bone mass important in preventing osteoporosis.

Even if a bone density test has detected bone loss, you can still prevent any futher loss by eating a healthy calcium and vitamin-rich diet and doing weight-bearing exercises.

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