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Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

Healthy lifestyle choices during peak bone-mass-building years — which end when you're about 30 — contribute to a higher peak bone mass and reduce your risk of osteoporosis in later years. The same measures may lower your risk of falls and improve your overall health if you adopt them at any age.

Build and protect bone mass

  • Ensure adequate calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Your age, medications, health conditions and normal daily diet are among the factors that influence how much calcium and vitamin D supplementation you may need. If you're considering calcium or vitamin D supplements, ask your doctor about what's an appropriate dose for you.

    As a general rule, experts recommend that men and women age 50 and older consume 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day, and 400 to 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day. Experts also suggest getting 10 to 15 minutes twice a week of unprotected sun exposure to ensure adequate levels of vitamin D.

  • Exercise to strengthen bones and improve balance. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, encourage your body to increase bone density. Exercise also increases your overall strength, making you less likely to fall. Try to exercise for 30 minutes a day on most days of the week.

    Balance training is also key to reducing your risk of falls, since balance tends to deteriorate with age. Certain training exercises are especially effective at helping you maintain and improve balance. Try standing on one leg for increasing periods of time to improve your overall stability. Activities such as tai chi can promote balance, too.

  • Don't drink excessively or smoke. Preserve your bone density by avoiding the excessive use of alcohol and by not smoking.

Lower your risk of falls

  • Assess your home for fall hazards. Remove throw rugs, keep electrical cords against the wall, and clear excess furniture and anything else that could trip you. Make sure every room and passageway is well lit.
  • Get your eyes checked every other year, or more often if you have diabetes or an eye disease.
  • Be mindful of side effects of medications. Feeling weak and dizzy, which are possible side effects of many medications, can increase your risk of falling. Talk to your doctor about side effects caused by your medications.
Lifestyle and home remedies Treatments and drugs
References
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  2. Hip Fractures. Merck Manual of Health and Aging. http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_ha/sec3/ch23/ch23b.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  3. Burroughs KE. Hip fractures in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  4. Hip fractures. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00392. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  5. Osteoporosis Prevention: Who's at risk. National Osteoporosis Foundation. http://www.nof.org/prevention/risk.htm. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  6. Kiel DP. Falls in older persons: Risk factors and patient evaluation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  7. Kiel DP. Prevention of falls and complications of falls in older persons. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  8. Live it safe: Prevent broken hips. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00305. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  9. LaVelle DG. Fractures and dislocations of the hip. In: Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/172615262-3/0/1584/390.html?tocnode=55689267&fromURL=390.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03329-9..50055-6--cesec1_2948. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  10. Morris VA, et al. Medical management of the patient with hip fracture. In: Browner BD, et al. Skeletal Trauma. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/172615262-4/919970406/1867/52.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2220-6..10047-7--s0240_2185. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  11. Auron-Gomez M, et al. Medical management of hip fracture. Clinics in geriatric. 2008;24:701.
  12. Osteoporosis overview. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/default.asp. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  13. Nutrition and bone health. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Bone_Health/Nutrition/default.asp. Accessed Nov. 24, 2009.
  14. Baumgaertner MR, et al. Intertrochanteric hip fractures. In: Browner BD, et al. Skeletal Trauma. 4h ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/175438862-12/929829121/1867/54.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2220-6..10049-0--s0300_237. Accessed Dec. 15, 2009.
  15. Takahashi PY (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 2, 2009.
DS00185 Jan. 9, 2010

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