Fight Osteoporosis, says Minimally Invasive SpineCARE

IRVING, Texas - Oct. 4, 2013 - PRLog -- IRVING, TEXAS (September 30, 2013)… About 57 million Americans – both women and men – have low bone density or osteoporosis, the National Osteoporosis Foundation reports. Among Americans over 50, the odds are that about one in two women and up to one in four men will break a bone due to osteoporosis at some point.

The spine specialists at Minimally Invasive SpineCARE’s  say people can prevent osteoporosis or minimize their chances for osteoporosis-related fractures by adopting healthy habits now.

Dr. Erica Whitlock, a chiropractor at Minimally Invasive SpineCARE’s SpineCARE Therapy, says exercise fights osteoporosis and improves general health. The sooner a person starts weight-bearing exercises, the better she or he can form bone mass; osteoporosis is a disease characterized by the loss of too much bone, the body making too little bone – or both.

“If someone already has osteoporosis, it’s still good to start with a light, weight-bearing exercise program because any type of weight-bearing exercise is going to help rebuild that bone. But be careful not to overdo it,” she cautions.

Good weight-bearing exercises to strengthen lower extremities include activities such as walking, jogging and skiing. To strengthen upper extremities, Dr. Whitlock suggests lifting weights. If patients don’t already have a routine in place she recommends bicep curls with one-pound weights. Progress to five-pound weights as time goes on. However, Dr. Whitlock advises patients to check with their health care provider before starting any exercise routine, regardless of whether it’s designed to strengthen lower or upper extremities.

“Ask a health care professional for advice before getting started and establish a regular exercise routine. Ask a family member or a friend to join you – this will help you commit to it on a regular basis and makes working out more fun,” she says.

Also avoid alcohol and smoking, recommends Dr. Whitlock. Both decrease calcium absorption in the bone, which contributes to osteoporosis.

“If someone smokes one pack of cigarettes a day, he or she should try smoking one less cigarette per week; then start smoking one less cigarette per day, and so on,” Dr. Whitlock says. “It’s always hard to stop cold turkey, so it’s good to start small and work up.”

Proper nutrition also is important.

“You want to make sure you’re taking in lots of calcium, especially as you get older, because calcium absorption usually decreases with age,” she explains. “Typically, I recommend getting calcium just from whole food sources like dairy products and dark green, leafy vegetables. You don’t have to take a supplement unless you have a very low calcium level.”

In addition to keeping the calcium level high, get plenty of vitamin D. Calcium can’t be absorbed in the bone without vitamin D, Dr. Whitlock adds.

Foods that are high in vitamin D include fatty fishes, such as salmon, tuna and mackerel; liver; milk; and egg yolks.

Dr. Whitlock also warns that gastrointestinal surgery can lead to low calcium levels and contribute to osteoporosis.

With the population aging, Minimally Invasive SpineCARE is seeing more patients who complain of general back pain, but x-rays show compression fractures. Dr. Whitlock notes the fractures often are caused by osteoporosis. Bones can break in minor falls, from bumping into furniture or even from a sneeze, if someone has weak bones.

“Be proactive. Talk to your primary care physician about having a bone density scan to check the mineral composition of the bone for preventative purposes of osteoporosis,” she advises. “You definitely don’t want to get to the point where you have the stooped posture and back pain caused by fractured or collapsed vertebra.”

Minimally Invasive SpineCARE is a nationally acclaimed, fully comprehensive spine center for surgical and non-surgical treatments. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Minimally Invasive SpineCARE has 12 clinics in North Texas. Services include pain mapping and other diagnostic services, adult stem cell therapy, surgical procedures, non-surgical treatments, chiropractic and physical therapy, general orthopedics, foot and ankle care, and sports medicine.


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Minimally Invasive SpineCARE locations:

801 West Interstate 20, Ste. 224, Arlington, TX 76017

1001 Robbie Mince Way, Desoto, TX 75115

8750 North Central Expressway, Ste. 1750, Dallas, TX 75231

800 Eighth Avenue, Ste. 440, Fort Worth, TX 76104

4400 Heritage Trace Parkway, Ste. 208, Fort Worth, TX 76244

8501 Wade Boulevard, Ste. 270, Frisco, TX 75034

5224 South State Highway 360, Ste. 230, Grand Prairie, TX 75052

4301 North MacArthur Boulevard, Ste. 101, Irving, TX 75038

6850 TPC Drive, Ste. 116, McKinney, TX 75070

1600 Republic Parkway, Ste. 100, Mesquite, TX 75150

4716 Alliance Boulevard, Pavilion 2, Ste. 218, Plano, TX 75093

3521 South West Wilshire Boulevard, Joshua, T