Osteoporosis (oss-tee-oh-puh-ro-sis) is a condition that means your bones are weak, and you’re more likely to break a bone. Since there are no symptoms, you might not know your bones are getting weaker until you break a bone!

A broken bone can really affect a woman’s life. It can cause disability, pain, or loss of independence. It can make it harder to do daily activities without help, such as walking. This can make it hard to participate in social activities. It can also cause severe back pain and deformity.

What bones does osteoporosis affect?

Osteoporosis can happen to any of your bones, but is most common in the hip, wrist, and in your spine, also called your vertebrae ( ver-tuh-bray). Vertebrae are important because these bones support your body to stand and sit upright. See the picture below.

Illustration of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis in the vertebrae can cause serious problems for women. A fracture in this area occurs from day-to-day activities like climbing stairs, lifting objects, or bending forward

Sloping shoulders
Curve in the back
Height loss
Back pain
Hunched posture
Protruding abdomen

What things cause me to have a higher chance of getting osteoporosis?

Things that can increase your chances of developing osteoporosis include:

being female
small, thin body (under 127 pounds)
family history of osteoporosis
being postmenopausal or of an advanced age
Caucasian or Asian race, but African American and Hispanic women are also at significant risk for developing the disease
abnormal absence of menstrual periods or having an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia that can cause menstrual periods to stop before menopause, and loss of bone tissue from too much exercise
low testosterone levels in men
a diet low in dairy products or other sources of calcium and vitamin D
inactive lifestyle
long-term use of glucocorticoids (medicines prescribed for many diseases, including arthritis, asthma, and lupus) anti-seizure medications; gonadotropin releasing hormone for treatment of endometriosis; aluminum-containing antacids; certain cancer treatments; and excessive thyroid hormone
cigarette smoking and drinking too much alcohol

How can I find out if I have weak bones?

There are tests you can get to find out your bone strength, also called bone density. One test is a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). A DEXA takes x-rays of your bones. There are also other types of bone strength tests too. Talk with your doctor or nurse about which type of test is best for you.

If you are age 65 and older, you should get a bone density test. If you are between ages 60 and 64, weigh less than 154 pounds, and don’t take estrogen, get a bone density test. Don’t wait until age 65. You have a higher chance for breaks.