November is Osteoporosis Month: Have you heard about the ‘Know Your Risk’ tool?
Posted November 15, 2017
November is Osteoporosis Month it’s a great time to talk about bone health.
Check out the ‘Know Your Risk’ tool from Osteoporosis Canada to help your clients find out what their risks are. Visit: http://osteoporosis.ca/risk to view the Know your Risk tool.
Did you know:
- Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by deterioration of bone tissue and low bone mass, which can lead to increased risk of fractures
- Over 2 million Canadians are affected by osteoporosis
- At least 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will break a bone due to osteoporosis in their lifetime
- Over 80% of all fractures in people 50+ are caused by osteoporosis
- Fractures from osteoporosis amounts to over 140 000 per year in Canada
- The most common fractures associated with osteoporosis are in the hip, spine, wrist, and shoulder
While Osteoporosis can affect people at almost any age, it is most common among Canadians 50 years of age or older. Osteoporosis, known as the “silent thief,” can cause bones to deteriorate over a number of years without any signs or symptoms, until a bone breaks (fracture). Unfortunately, by the time this happens, the disease is already fairly advanced.
People living with osteoporosis face a reduced quality of life, lowered self-esteem, reduction or loss of mobility, disfigurement, a lack of independence and in some cases, death – 28% of women and 37% of men who suffer a hip fracture will die within the following year.
Since many Canadians don’t know whether they are at risk, Osteoporosis Canada has launched the Know Your Risk tool, a simple quiz to help identify personal risk factors and help Canadians work with their doctors to protect their bones.
The results of the assessment will help identify the factors that may put respondents at risk for breaking bones as a result of the disease. Visit www.osteoporosis.ca/risk to access the quiz, and encourage your clients to talk to their doctor about
bone health.
