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Resources for the Press
Hump - mixed media
Courtesy of Karyl Sisson
Osteoporosis is a major health problem, affecting 28 million Americans
and contributing to an estimated 1.5 million bone fractures per year.
One in two women and one in five men over age 65 will sustain bone
fractures due to osteoporosis. Many of these are painful fractures of the
hip, spine, wrist, arm and leg that often occur as a result of a fall.
However, even simple household tasks can produce a fracture of the spine
if the bones have been weakened by the disease.
The most serious and debilitating osteoporotic fracture is
the hip fracture. Most hip fracture tients who previously lived
independently will require help from their family or home care.
All hip fracture patients will require walking aids for several
months, and nearly half will permanently need canes or walkers
to move around their house or outdoors. Hip fractures are expensive.
Health care costs from hip fractures total more than $10 billion
annually -- $35,000 per patient.
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