03/26/2026
Brittle bones?
Loss of bone mass is a normal part of aging. If you have lost enough, your doctor might have started you on a medication to help slow this down. Chances are, you were given a bisphosphonate like risedronate (Actonel brand) or alendronate(Fosamax brand). These medications work by preventing the cells which eat up your bones during normal recycling from working 1. This slows the rate of bone breakdown to give your body a better chance of putting back some of the minerals that these cells chew out, provided you have adequate nutrition and activity to permit this. Before you were given one of these medications, your healthcare providers have likely made recommendations like increasing your activity level, including more calcium-rich foods in your diet, optimizing your vitamin D intake, and reducing your alcohol consumption, among other things 2.Medications alone do not replace these essential lifestyle factors. Also, you have to remember that while medications have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of fractures 3, they do not prevent you from falling. You are far more likely to break something if you fall 4. Exercise, especially balance and functional activity, has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of falls and fall-related fractures 5. And, though the jury is still out on exactly how much more bone density you could gain from adding exercise to a medication 6, exercise has been shown to improve bone density. For example, non-weight-bearing resistance exercise has been shown to increase density of the hip bones, and combined activities can improve the density of the bones of the spine 7. This spring, set a goal of building healthy bones, strong muscles and good balance. Your physiotherapist is a key resource to get you started with this.
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