Osteoporosis and the power of movement

1 Definition and status quo: What is osteoporosis?

According to the 1993 definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease. It is characterized by two core features:

• A significant reduction in bone mass.
• A Deterioration of the microarchitecture of the bone tissue.

These changes lead to excessive bone fragility. The bone loses its ability to absorb normal everyday mechanical stresses, which increases the risk of fractures.

2 The underestimated consequences: Why prevention is crucial

Fractures, particularly in the hip and spine, often have irreversible consequences for those affected:

• Hip fractures: Around 130,000 hip fractures occur in Germany every year. These are considered particularly critical due to high complication rates.
• Vertebral fractures: The incidence for vertebral fractures is estimated to be 2.5 times higher than hip fractures, often going undetected initially but can lead to chronic pain.
• Quality of life and independence: Fractures often lead to reduced mobility, increased morbidity and permanent loss of independence. Prevention is therefore not just a medical strategy, but an essential quality of life strategy.

3. the three-pillar model of fracture risk

The risk of suffering a bone fracture is determined by three key determinants.

1. Frequency of falls: The frequency of falls increases with age (approx. 30% for over 65-year-olds, up to 50% for over 80-year-olds).
2. Impact of a fall: The force and direction of the impact are decisive for the development of a fracture.
3. Bone strength: Defined by bone mineral density (BMD) and microarchitecture. It represents the internal load capacity.

4. training as “medication

Targeted training acts as an effective “medicine”. Scientific data shows that specific training can reduce the general risk of fractures by up to 50%.

Mechanical stress is considered essential for the activation of bone metabolism. Mechanical deformation of the bone leads to a biological signal being sent to the cell network. This activates the bone-building cells to form new bone.

Osteoanabolic relevance of sports:

• Very high: Weightlifting, gymnastics, ball sports, as they combine high muscular tension with axial impact loads.
• Low/Neutral: Swimming and cycling. Despite the positive cardiovascular effects, the mechanical stress necessary for bone formation is missing here.

5 Conclusion: An active path to bone health

The scientific evidence is clear: professionally guided training is the most powerful tool against osteoporosis. Studies such as the LIFTMOR study impressively demonstrates the efficiency of modern protocols: strength and impact training led to an increase in bone density and an improvement in functional abilities in women with osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Evidence-based training not only protects against fractures, but also maintains freedom and mobility. It is never too late to give the bones the stimuli they need for stability.

Article created with the support of NotebookLM.