Evelyn Yuen, M.S.In the condition known as osteoporosis, bones become weak and susceptible to fractures. This vulnerability results from low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue. Although it primarily afflicts the elderly, it can develop at any age. Osteoporosis is a growing public health threat that affects 55 percent of people 50 years of age and older; approximately one in two women and one in four men over 50 years old will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their rema...

Ramon Boudreaux, M.S.A common misconception is that the skeleton is a relatively fixed structure that undergoes few changes during adulthood. In actuality, bones are an extremely active tissue that continuously rebuild themselves throughout an individual’s lifetime (referred to as turnover). Bone cells are in constant communication with each other to remove areas of damaged bone (resorption) and replace them with newer, healthier bone (formation). In fact, the entire skeleton is completely...

Brandon Macias, Ph.DThe estimated lifetime risks of an osteoporotic fracture are about 50% in women and 22% in men. Fractures in the elderly lead to large, often irreversible loss of quality of life and are associated with an increased risk of death. Furthermore, annual direct-care costs attributable to osteoporotic fractures are estimated to cost up to $18 billion in the United States. Most research to date has shown that regular weight bearing exercise helps preserve bone mineral density in po...

 Kaleigh Camp, M.S.The American College of Sports Medicine refers to the female athlete triad as the interrelationships among energy availability, menstrual function, and bone mineral density. The new Triad model has each component of the female athlete triad on a continuous spectrum. These spectrums range from a healthy state to clinical outcomes of disease, which including eating disorders, amenorrhea (absence of a menstrual period for 3 or more months), and osteoporosis. T...