People can have trouble moving around, feel a lot of pain, and even develop a curved back. People with osteoporosis can break their spine more easily, even by picking up a bag of groceries. In elderly women who have lost bone over many years, a minor fall can result in a broken hip. Bone is a living, growing tissue. Throughout life, bone is constantly being renewed.
Old bone is removed and new bone is being laid down.
During childhood and early adulthood, new bone is added to the skeleton faster than old bone is removed. After age 35, more bone is removed than is replaced. However, women begin to lose bone tissue more rapidly after menopause when circulating estrogen levels in the body are low. If bone removal occurs too quickly, or replacement too slowly, the bone becomes weaker. The individual is then at risk for developing osteoporosis.