Question of the Week: Dealing With the Fear of Fracture

I did fracture my T-7 and it took a long time to heal so I found myself afraid of breaking another bone when I returned to regular life.  I try to do everything as normal as I can but I am very careful.  My understanding is your bones can be susceptible to franctures with minimal or sometimes no trauma.  Not comforting I know, but knowing that helped me to just live my life without fear. When I am afraid I remind myself that osteoporosis will not define me.  All you can do is think before you do something that can hurt you.  Knowledge is power but in the end it is what it is.

Hi Sandra, thanks for joining us!!  I'm glad you explained how you feel, since this is a very good way of looking at this diagnosis.  I also don't let any dx define me, but that doesn't mean I ignore it either.  I take the precautions seriously, but in some cases I have to re-evaluate them to apply to my particular situation with multiple spinal fraxs, which it sounds like you do as well.

I like how you phrased this as "it is what it is," and may I add: and that's all that it is!

It's very easy to become overwhelmed with this diagnosis of bone loss, because it takes most of us by surprise.  In my case I wasn't surprised by the news, but on the other hand I didn't expect it to be as bad as it was.  I started supplements (calcium, D, multiple, C, magnesium, etc., etc.,) at a young age and was always involved in sports that would be considered weight bearing, so I thought I'd have some protection, but NO, that wasn't the case.  We can do all the right things and still have this happen.

Good luck with your exercises and physical therapy evaluation, and I hope they find some good exercises that won't cause any further back pain, but will strengthen you weak areas and build up your bones and muscles.

Take Care

Pam

• How do you deal with this fear of fracture?

• Do your worry about breaking a bone from a minor movement?

• What precautions have you implemented into your life to lower the chance of breaking a bone?

Give us your advice and ideas on how you are dealing with this and any solutions you've discovered to minimize the dangers we face when doing normal daily routines that could cause a fracture.

Hi Pam...another good question.  when i was first dx i was afraid that i would fracture a bone at any minute, but soon got over that kind of thinking.  I realized that  i was being somewhat silly to think that after hearing a few words that my whole world would change.  For all i know i could've  had less than perfect density my life without knowing it and have never broken a thing. Not everyone has perfect density to begin with.  I also realized that being overly careful could cause things to happen.  Now don't get me wrong, i don't cast caution to the wind, but i don't shy away from things i enjoy doing becuase i could break something.  I am not a good follower of rules and don't avoid all the don'ts we read about.  I know that even if my bones aren't

perfect that they are strong and get good support from the surrounding muscles. Walking, exercise  and weight training have given me  a strong body.  Many years ago i worked as a nurses aid and was taught good body mechanic which i still use.  If something is too heavy i ask for help, and if i see a risky stiuation i either avoid it or try to figure out the best way to do it. I practice balance since that is so important in preventing falls.  I am not a poster child for doing all the right things to keep a body safe,  but i don't go looking for trouble either.  I have choosen not to live in fear of something that may or may not happen somewhere down the road.

My advice would be to make a decison for yourself on how you are going to live with osteo. You can live your life as you always have or dwell on the fact that you might break and maybe miss out on things you once enjoyed.  This is how i look at it for now, but i'm sure if i had really bad scores i'd think differently.  Osteo is a very personalized thing to live with and we all have to do what's right for us as individuals.  take care..phyllis