There are approximately 25,000 hip fractures in Canada each year. Seventy percent of these are osteoporosis-related. Hip fractures result in death in up to 20 percent of cases, and disability in 50 percent of those who survive. Individuals may not know they have osteoporosis until their bones are so weak that a strain, bump or fall causes vertebrae to collapse or a fracture to occur. Collapsed vertebrae often result in severe back pain, loss of height or spinal deformities such as a stooped posture.
Some people are more apt to develop osteoporosis than others.
Risk factors are factors that increase your likelihood of developing the disease. Diagnosis Specialized bone density tests can detect low bone mass. Although standard X-rays can detect fractures, they cannot reliably detect bone loss until 25 to 30 percent of bone mass has been lost and the disease is well advanced. New diagnostic technologies are currently being explored. For more information on diagnosis, click here .