Bone Health Through The Decades

Bones deserve your attention at every age. When you're young, you might not give your bone health much thought. Since they're pretty dependable and effortlessly move you throughout your day, you might think they're always going to be there to hold you up.

Don't take your bones for granted, especially in the teens and early 20s, when they're still on their way to building peak strength. Thankfully there are ways to keep bones healthy and strong as we age.

Catherine Reese, MD, a Franciscan Physician Network sports medicine specialist in Indianapolis, sees patients for various bone and joint-related issues. Dr. Reese continues to remind her patients that bone needs vary according to age.

Bone Health In Your Teens And Early 20s

• Regular weight-bearing exercise
• A diet with enough calcium, which Dr. Reese stresses, ought to come from dietary sources at this age rather than supplementation.

The International Osteoporosis Foundation suggests that young adults need 1,000 milligrams a day of calcium. This amount of calcium can come from three glasses of milk each day.

Not everyone likes milk, though. So here are a few other common foods that provide calcium:

• Almonds
• Spinach
• Collard greens
• Yogurt
• Cheese
• Orange juice with added calcium

Getting enough vitamin D is also crucial for bone health because it helps the body absorb calcium. This comes from getting enough sun, at least 10 to 20 minutes of exposure to bare skin.

Bone Health In Your 20s, 30s And 40s

It's best for people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s to continue the diet and exercise advice as those in their teens and early 20s to protect bone health.

It's also important to understand the impact that alcohol and smoking can potentially have on your bones.

• Calcium And Vitamin D Balance: More than three drinks per day could negatively impact your bones. Alcohol can disrupt the balance of calcium in the body along with vitamin D production. Smoking can also prevent the body from absorbing calcium.
• Testosterone And Estrogen Levels: Heavy drinking can also lead to less testosterone in men and estrogen in women, which play key roles in overall bone health. Nicotine, a well-known chemical in tobacco, also reduces estrogen levels.
• Oxygen-Rich Blood: Smoking slows down oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, which is responsible for healing the bones, joints, and muscles.

Adults in their 20s through 40s should stay consistent with exercise, as stated by Dr. Reese. Many adults fall into one exercise pattern when they graduate college or high school and leave their associated sports behind.

Dr. Reese suggests a mix of cardio and strength training along with yoga and Pilates, which help with balance and flexibility.

Bone Health In Your 50s

Staying active in your 50s will show its benefits later on in life.

"Around age 50, bone health decisions depend on individual risk factors," Dr. Reese said. "It is important at this age to bring up bone health with your physician."

The American Bone Health Organization said one out of every two women will have a fracture after the age of 50. One reason for that is that women who are going through menopause are losing the hormones that have been protecting their bones.

Board-certified family medicine physician Ted George Ody Achufusi, DO, a Franciscan Physician Network in Michigan City, Indiana, stresses that after menopause, all women lose the basic protection that estrogen usually provides. He said the best-case scenario is to have the strongest bones possible until this stage, through regular weight-bearing exercise and a calcium-rich diet.

Bone Health In Your 60s And Beyond

Falls and fractures begin to rise as your body ages.

If you're in your 60s, it may be time to visit a physical therapy program to correct your balance and discover methods to prevent you from falling. Dr. Reese emphasizes several conditions that can affect a person's likeliness to have a fall in their 60s which can cause broken bones:

• Impaired vision
• Decreased balance
• Neurological conditions
• Strokes
• Seizures

Franciscan Health's vestibular rehabilitation program, also known as balance therapy, can be a big part of a physician's specialized care. The physical therapists in the program can examine patients that are having dizziness, nausea, balance and focusing problems, blurry vision, difficulty walking, and headaches.

Dr. Reese said that people in their 60s may experience leg weakness and an overall lack of strength, which can lead to falls and fractures. Physical therapy can help them regain their strength and mobility.

Bone Density Testing

If you don't follow the suggested methods to keep up with your bone health, you could put yourself at a higher risk for osteoporosis and fractures. Osteoporosis, which means "porous bone," is a disease where bones lose mass faster than they make new bone tissue. For example, osteoporosis is very common among postmenopausal women.

A DEXA scan is a diagnostic imaging tool that helps physicians examine your bones to see how likely they are to get fractured.

"It's important to learn about the density of your bones well before a fracture happens," said Dr. Achufusi.

Even though a bone density test is recommended for women ages 65 years old or older, people with risk factors for osteoporosis can benefit from an earlier scan.

A physician might suggest a bone density test to any patient for a few reasons, including:

• Bone fracture
• Drug usage
• Height decrease
• Hormone levels

This can help us monitor risks and suggest measures to help head off a fracture. Whatever the case, it becomes a very specialized journey to protect your bones after a certain age," Dr. Achufusi said.

Take Charge Of Your Bone Health

Don't wait until fractures happen—our 15-minute, non-invasive scan is the key to assessing your fracture risks. Take the first step towards stronger bones—schedule your bone density test now and invest in a healthier, more resilient future. Your bones will thank you!