Osteopenia, which is weak in bone density, is easy to understand as a disease of postmenopausal women, but it is not. The number of elderly male patients was similarly high, and the fatality rate from fractures was higher in males.
Medical reporter Yoo Seung-hyun explains in detail.
<기자>
A, in his 60s, fell while walking two weeks ago.
I thought it would be okay, but the pain got so bad that I mightn’t walk, so I went to the hospital.
[A 씨/고관절 골절 환자 : 오른쪽은 약간씩 절뚝절뚝하면서. 밥 먹고 그런 데는 지장이 없었으니까. 도저히 안 되겠다 싶어서 병원을 가야겠다.]
As a result of the diagnosis, it was found that the bones were so weak that they might not withstand a hip fracture and even a light impact.
[윤재연/동국대학교 일산병원 정형외과 교수 : 골다공증이 꽤 있는 걸로 나왔어요.]
The pre-osteoporosis stage is called osteopenia, and I would like to think that there are many women, but men and women with osteopenia in Korea are similar.
The causes of women and men are different. In women, the decrease in female hormones following menopause, and in men, underlying diseases, alcohol and smoking, etc. that interfere with bone metabolism, are the main causes.
Osteopenia tends to lead to major injuries such as hip fractures. In Korea, the rate of hip fractures over the age of 60 is higher in men than in women.
After being diagnosed with weakened bones, women are treated well, but 8 out of 10 men are not treated.
The fatality rate of hip fractures in Korea was also 40% higher in men than in women.
BMD should be taken from age 65 for women and from age 70 for men.
[윤재연/동국대학교 일산병원 정형외과 교수 : 칼슘과 비타민D 같은 약제나 영양제를 복용하는 것도 도움이 되겠고 가장 중요한 것은 낙상을 예방하기 위해서 좀 주의를 하는 것이 중요하겠습니다.]
Strength training helps to prevent fractures, but excessive exercise can lead to fractures, so it should be tailored to your physical strength.