How well we know our medical history and whether we pass on the correct information to doctors could be very important when it comes to brittle bone conditions. Clinicians may already access guidelines when they admit us after suffering from a fall, but extra information on the amount of times we’ve slipped or tripped could positively affect our wellness in the future.
Find our risk factors
In order for doctors to prevent us suffering from fractures they need to know about our general wellbeing. This is really important when we have conditions such as osteoporosis, because reducing our chances of slips/trips is a major part of treatment for the syndrome. As well as the personal cost to our health following a fracture, hospital trusts are also keen to reduce the impact fractures have on NHS budgets, with figures showing that 60 per cent of fractures result from a fall. To predict our rates of falling again, medical experts tend to ask about our gender, age, diet and smoking/drinking habits. But new research says doctors should also ask a very simple question, and that’s whether we’ve fallen before.
Preventing slips/trips
As part of the investigation, the University of Southampton gathered data from people who had fallen, including age, gender, bone mineral density and past history of falls. All this information meant that clinicians were better able to predict if the participants would fall again, with prediction rates in men increasing by six per cent. The results also showed how keeping a note of men’s falls actually reduced their future risk of fractures.
This is because doctors were able to put treatment plans in place to protect bone health. When we get diagnosed with osteoporosis we are usually prescribed calcium and Vitamin D to give bone cells a boost. Our home may also undergo assessment to remove slipping/tripping risks. When medical professionals know we have fallen – whether we break a bone or not – they can put these measures in place quicker so we’re less likely to suffer fractures.
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