How can a Stairlift help Osteoporosis Sufferers?

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a serious health condition that weakens bone strength, making them fragile and more likely to break. It often takes years to develop and is usually only diagnosed when someone has a fall or sudden impact that causes a bone to fracture.

Often called the silent disease, Osteoporosis affects mostly older people who may not even experience any signs, symptoms or pain until they suffer from such a fracture.

The most common injuries in people with osteoporosis are:

A. A broken wrist or arm
B. A broken hip or pelvis
C. Broken vertebrae (spinal bones) – often a cause of great pain

Osteoporosis can also result in a loss of height due to a broken bone in the spinal column. This means the spine is no longer able to support your body’s weight and can result you’re your posture being ‘hunched’. This can be painful and may require treatment from a Physiotherapist or Osteopath to improve this.

Other options that can help are transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) as this is thought to reduce pain by stimulating the nerves or simple relaxation techniques.

Naturally suffering with this complaint can often make getting around your home and especially getting up and down stairs more difficult and uncomfortable because of the pain or lack of mobility.

Who’s affected by osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis currently affects over 3 million people in the UK and more than 500,000 people each year receive hospital treatment for fragility fractures, caused by a relatively simple (very often low-level height) fall.

In this recent NHS report you can find out more about the impact of this condition and how best to deal with it.

What steps can you take if you suffer from osteoporosis?

One of the easiest things you can do is to make sure you have a balanced diet that contains all the food groups to give your body the nutrition it needs.

There are a range of foods that help make your bones stronger.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society has exercise and physical activity leaflets and factsheets and information on looking after your bones.

You can also get a great deal of support from your GP or Practice Nurse who will be able to answer any of your questions and reassure you if you are worried. They will also have information on various local support groups or specifically trained counsellors who can help you.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society has a free telephone helpline service run by nurses with specialist knowledge of osteoporosis and bone health. Call 0808 800 0035. You can also email them at nurses@theros.org.uk

Finally, you might like to consider having a stairlift to help you with the everyday task of getting around your home easier.