Vertebral fractures are of the compressed variety and may be more subtle. Vertebral fractures may result in back pain. Persons suffering fractures are at greater risk for death, not directly from the fracture, but from the complications that come from hospitalization with immobilization, such as pulmonary thromboembolism and pneumonia. Osteoporosis is so common that, on average, about 1 in 2 elderly Caucasian women will have had a fracture. In contrast, only about 1 in 40 men of similar age will have had a fracture.
Men start out with a greater bone mass to begin with, so they have a greater reserve against loss.
The best long-term approach to osteoporosis is prevention. This will provide a good reserve against bone loss later in life. Exercise places stress on bones that builds up bone mass, particularly skeletal loading from muscle contraction with weight training exercises. However, any exercise of any type is better than none at all, and exercise also provides benefits for prevention of cardiovascular diseases that are more common in the elderly. Athletes tend to have greater bone mass than non-athletes.