Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1139554
Muscle Quality Helps Reduce Osteoporosis Risk T H E L I F E T I M E R I S K of an osteoporotic fracture ranges from 40 to 50% in women and 13 to 22% in men. The morbidity and mortality associated with osteoporosis are high, with one in five patients with osteoporotic hip fracture dying within one year of injury. Osteoporosis medications are available to increase bone density, but they have potential side effects ranging from osteonecrosis of the jaw to a counterintuitive increased risk of subtrochanteric hip fracture. First-line prevention and treatment should focus on modifiable risk factors, including smoking cessation, limiting excessive alcohol intake and minimizing medications that negatively affect calcium and vitamin D absorption. Nonmodifiable risk factors typically include aging, post- menopausal status and being petite. While we can't stop those nonmodifiable factors, one way patients can counter bone loss and help build bone density is to incorporate an activity that will increase muscle mass and strength. Improving muscle quality directly improves the health of the skeletal system and, more importantly, protects patients from a higher risk of fractures from osteoporosis. While we can agree that adopting or maintaining an exercise program is essential to reduce and counter the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, a simple plan of just moving more, taking a class at the gym or doing other weight-bearing activity won't do enough to improve muscle quality and stimulate bone density improvements. Miria m Nelson, PhD, author of Strong Women, Strong Bones, has been quoted as saying, "No study has ever shown that a middle-aged or older woman can increase her bone density by taking up walking." A patient needs to adopt a streng th-training program to improve his or her muscle quality and bone density. When the muscles become stronger and capable of generating more force, all of the surrounding structures, such as the ligaments, tendons and bones, have to become stronger. It's crucial that a patient find a workout program that safely progresses intensity to maximize type II (fast-twitch) muscle fiber activation. Type II muscle fibers are what we predominantly lose as we age. These are the fibers called into action to prevent a fall when patients trip or misstep. No amount of walking, swimming or aerobics will prevent the attenuation of type II muscle fibers. Jeremy Stallbaumer, MD, owns The Exercise Coach in Wichita, a franchise that provides customized and optimized personal training workouts within 20 minutes. For more information, call 316-978-9213. n BY JEREMY STALLBAUMER, MD Jeremy Stallbaumer, MD M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S G R E AT E R K A N S A S ■ 2 019 T H E E X E R C I S E C O A C H ❰❰❰❰❰ 1 3