The National Osteoporosis Society has a network of local support groups throughout the UK, including one based in Sutton. It organises free public talks on topics such as nutrition and exercise for good bone health and medication and other therapies for osteoporosis. Details of the next talk are as below; all members of the public are welcome and prior booking is recommended. More information is available at www.nos.org.uk/sutton.
If you would like to find out more about the group, book a place at a talk, or would like to volunteer your time, please get in touch on 07583 875245,
or by email at [email protected].
The group is supported by the Sutton Community Fund, funded by Sutton Council and administered by Sutton Centre for the Voluntary Sector
What is osteoporosis? The word osteoporosis means porous bones and it occurs when the struts which make up the mesh-like structure within bones become thin. This causes them to become fragile and they may break easily following an impact or a fall. The National Osteoporosis Society says almost one in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 will break a bone, at some stage in their life, mainly due to poor bone health.
Taking action
If you have broken a bone easily, e.g. after a fall from a standing height or less, it may be a sign that your bones are fragile. Talk with your doctor about your risk of further fractures. You can also ask about a ‘fracture risk assessment’ or ‘bone check’ or a bone density scan. Such assessments and tests can help you and your doctor understand whether your bones are more fragile than expected, if so, why and whether you would benefit from drug treatment.
Help yourself
The good news is that there are things we can all do to keep our bones strong, such as eating a healthy balanced diet and doing lots of weight-bearing exercise. It’s also important to get plenty of vitamin D because that allows us to absorb calcium from our diet and store it in our bones.
Details
The National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) is the only UK-wide charity dedicated to improving the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. More information is available at www.nos.org.uk or via the phone Helpline on 0808 800 0035