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Sức khỏe xương và bệnh loãng xương
How bone strength affects fractures, fixation and recovery — bone density, fragility fractures, and what helps keep bones strong (lifestyle, supplements and medications).
Định nghĩa¶
Loãng xương là tình trạng xương của bạn mất dần độ chắc khỏe. Theo thời gian, xương trở nên mỏng và dễ gãy, vì vậy xương có thể bị gãy chỉ sau một cú ngã nhẹ hoặc thậm chí một va chạm nhỏ. Những vị trí gãy xương thường gặp nhất là ở hông, cổ tay và cột sống.
Bạn có thể nghe đến thuật ngữ “gãy xương do xương yếu”. Thuật ngữ này chỉ một chiếc xương bị gãy dễ dàng hơn mức đáng lẽ phải có. Nếu bạn đã từng bị gãy xương kiểu này, đó có thể là dấu hiệu cảnh báo rằng xương của bạn yếu hơn bình thường.
Có một khoảng trống đã được biết đến trong việc chăm sóc ở đây. Nghiên cứu cho thấy những người bị gãy xương theo cách này thường không được kiểm tra loãng xương hoặc không được bắt đầu điều trị [1]. Điều này vẫn xảy ra dù đã có các hướng dẫn điều trị [2]. Điều này quan trọng vì việc điều trị tình trạng xương yếu bên dưới có thể làm giảm khả năng bị gãy xương lần nữa. Các thử nghiệm đã cho thấy điều trị loãng xương sau một lần gãy xương do xương yếu có thể giảm tới 50% nguy cơ gãy xương tiếp theo và giảm tỷ lệ tử vong tới 30% [3].
Xương không phải là thứ cố định, bất biến. Xương là mô sống, liên tục được phân hủy và tái tạo. Loãng xương xuất hiện khi quá trình phân hủy diễn ra nhanh hơn quá trình tái tạo, khiến mật độ xương giảm xuống. Mục tiêu của phòng ngừa là xây dựng bộ xương chắc khỏe nhất có thể, rồi duy trì độ chắc khỏe đó [4]. Mục tiêu của điều trị là ngăn chặn tình trạng mất xương tiếp diễn để lần gãy xương đầu tiên, hoặc một lần gãy xương khác, không bao giờ xảy ra [4].
Một phát hiện đáng biết: một phân tích tổng hợp chín nghiên cứu cho thấy cứ mỗi 1 đơn vị tăng thêm của chỉ số khối cơ thể có liên quan đến nguy cơ loãng xương giảm 9% [5]. Cân nặng cơ thể chỉ là một phần của bức tranh, bên cạnh các yếu tố như tuổi tác, nội tiết tố và sức khỏe tổng thể.
Nếu bạn đã bị gãy xương một cách dễ dàng, hoặc bạn lo lắng về độ chắc khỏe của xương, hãy hỏi về việc kiểm tra mật độ xương. Phát hiện loãng xương sớm giúp bạn có cơ hội tốt nhất để hành động trước khi xảy ra gãy xương.
Phương pháp này có hiệu quả không?¶
Câu trả lời thẳng thắn là việc điều trị hiệu quả nhất khi được bắt đầu sớm, và cách thực hiện điều đó vẫn còn chỗ cần cải thiện. Nghiên cứu cho thấy những người bị gãy xương cổ tay được kiểm tra loãng xương thường xuyên hơn nhiều khi họ tham gia một chương trình chuyên biệt so với khi được chăm sóc thông thường: 92% so với 23% [6]. Các nghiên cứu khác cho thấy những người bị gãy xương hông hoặc xương cột sống thường hoàn toàn không được bắt đầu điều trị tăng cường sức mạnh xương, mặc dù các hướng dẫn khuyến nghị điều đó [7] [2]. Đó là lý do tại sao việc hỏi về kiểm tra mật độ xương sau bất kỳ lần gãy xương dễ dàng nào lại quan trọng đến vậy.
Khi đã được chẩn đoán loãng xương, có bằng chứng cho thấy điều trị có thể giúp xương lành và giảm khả năng bị gãy xương lần nữa. Trong một thử nghiệm, những người bị gãy xương cổ tay được tiêm một loại hormone kích thích tạo xương đã lành xương sau 7.8 tuần, so với 12.6 tuần ở những người không được điều trị [8]. Tập luyện cũng có vai trò. Người bị loãng xương nên tập các bài tập kháng lực và bài tập chịu tác động để tối đa hóa độ chắc khỏe của xương, cùng với các hoạt động cải thiện sức mạnh và thăng bằng để giảm nguy cơ té ngã, và các bài tập duỗi cột sống để cải thiện tư thế [9].
Một số nghiên cứu mới hơn chưa có kết luận rõ ràng. Các công cụ học máy dự đoán loãng xương từ phim chụp hoặc xét nghiệm máu cho thấy triển vọng, nhưng các tổng quan nhận thấy chúng có nguy cơ sai lệch cao và chưa được kiểm chứng đầy đủ tại các phòng khám [10]. Và một phân tích cho thấy một loại thuốc điều trị tiểu đường từng được cho là có tác dụng bảo vệ xương đã không làm giảm gãy xương cổ tay và cánh tay sau khi tính đến các yếu tố sức khỏe khác [11]. Nếu bạn bị loãng xương và bị gãy xương, việc điều trị bản thân chỗ xương gãy sẽ hiệu quả hơn khi tình trạng xương yếu bên dưới được điều trị cùng lúc [12].
Những rủi ro là gì?¶
Rủi ro chính của việc không điều trị loãng xương là gãy xương. Nếu bạn đã từng bị một lần gãy xương do xương yếu, xương của bạn dễ bị gãy lần nữa hơn, đặc biệt nếu tình trạng xương yếu bên dưới không được điều trị [7] [2]. Nghiên cứu cho thấy điều trị được bắt đầu sau lần gãy xương đầu tiên làm giảm khả năng bị gãy xương lần nữa, và đây là lý do mạnh mẽ nhất để hành động sớm [3].
Cũng có những rủi ro xung quanh chính thời điểm bị gãy xương. Một nghiên cứu cho thấy những người bị loãng xương gặp nhiều biến chứng nội khoa hơn trong 90 ngày đầu sau phẫu thuật so với những người không bị loãng xương [13]. Xương gãy cũng có thể lành theo cách khác nhau tùy thuộc vào độ chắc khỏe của xương. Trong một nghiên cứu về gãy xương cổ tay di lệch, mức cải thiện biến dạng là 12.5 ở những người bị loãng xương, chưa bằng một nửa mức 25.6 ở những người có chất lượng xương tốt [14]. Một nghiên cứu khác cho thấy riêng tình trạng xương yếu ở người cao tuổi không ngăn cản xương gãy liền lại [15].
Nếu bạn bị loãng xương và cần phẫu thuật khớp hoặc gân, bức tranh rõ ràng hơn. Các tổng quan về phẫu thuật nội soi khâu chóp xoay không tìm thấy mối liên hệ giữa mật độ xương thấp hơn và kết quả sau 2 năm, và tỷ lệ biến chứng thấp [16] [17]. Không nên xem loãng xương là lý do để loại trừ phẫu thuật này [17].
Một số phương pháp điều trị có những điểm chưa chắc chắn riêng. Calcitonin dạng xịt mũi có hiệu quả kém hơn các loại thuốc điều trị xương khác trong việc làm chắc xương và giảm nguy cơ gãy xương [18]. Bằng chứng về châm cứu và các sản phẩm y học cổ truyền Trung Quốc vẫn còn ở giai đoạn đầu, và cần được kiểm chứng thêm [19] [20]. Đối với tiêm hormone tuyến cận giáp, thời điểm dùng thuốc tốt nhất vẫn đang được nghiên cứu trong các thử nghiệm [21].
Khoảng trống thực sự nằm ở việc theo dõi đến cùng. Các nghiên cứu cho thấy nhiều người bị gãy xương hông, cột sống hoặc cổ tay hoàn toàn không bao giờ được bắt đầu điều trị tăng cường sức mạnh xương [7] [2] [22]. Hỏi về việc điều trị sau bất kỳ lần gãy xương dễ dàng nào là bước an toàn nhất bạn có thể thực hiện.
Liệu phương pháp này có phù hợp với bạn không?¶
Điều trị tăng cường sức mạnh xương là điều đáng cân nhắc nếu bạn đã được cho biết xương của mình yếu, hoặc nếu bạn đã bị gãy xương dễ dàng hơn mức đáng lẽ phải có. Mục tiêu là ngăn chặn tình trạng mất xương tiếp diễn trước khi xảy ra lần gãy xương đầu tiên, hoặc một lần gãy xương khác [4]. Điều trị sau một lần gãy xương do xương yếu cũng quan trọng. Việc này có thể làm giảm khả năng bị gãy xương lần nữa và giảm tỷ lệ tử vong [3]. Nhưng nghiên cứu cho thấy nhiều người bị gãy xương hông, cột sống hoặc cổ tay hoàn toàn không bao giờ được bắt đầu điều trị [7] [2]. Vì vậy, nếu bạn đã từng bị gãy xương dễ dàng, việc hỏi bác sĩ về kiểm tra mật độ xương và liệu điều trị có giúp ích cho bạn hay không là hoàn toàn hợp lý.
Một số người ít có khả năng cần điều trị hơn. Nếu xương của bạn vẫn còn chắc khỏe, trọng tâm là giữ cho xương luôn như vậy: xây dựng bộ xương chắc khỏe nhất có thể, rồi duy trì độ chắc khỏe đó [4]. Tập luyện đóng một vai trò ở đây. Người bị loãng xương nên tập các bài tập kháng lực và bài tập chịu tác động để tối đa hóa độ chắc khỏe của xương [9]. Bác sĩ có thể giúp bạn xác định điều gì là an toàn cho bạn.
Điều trị không phải là một giải pháp áp dụng chung cho tất cả mọi người. Có nhiều loại thuốc điều trị xương khác nhau, và loại phù hợp phụ thuộc vào sức khỏe của bạn, tiền sử gãy xương và những ưu tiên riêng của bạn. Đây nên là quyết định chung giữa bạn và bác sĩ. Hãy hỏi xem mỗi lựa chọn bao gồm những gì, các tác dụng phụ có thể có là gì (được đề cập trong phần rủi ro ở trên), và bạn sẽ cần duy trì điều trị trong bao lâu. Nếu có điều gì chưa rõ, hãy tiếp tục hỏi cho đến khi bạn cảm thấy tự tin với kế hoạch.
Tóm lại¶
Điều trị loãng xương là điều đáng cân nhắc nếu xương của bạn yếu hoặc bạn đã bị gãy xương một cách dễ dàng. Mục tiêu là ngăn chặn tình trạng mất xương tiếp diễn trước khi xảy ra gãy xương, hoặc một lần gãy xương khác [4]. Hành động sớm rất quan trọng, vì điều trị sau một lần gãy xương do xương yếu có thể làm giảm khả năng bị gãy xương lần nữa và giảm tỷ lệ tử vong [3]. Lưu ý quan trọng nhất là việc theo dõi đến cùng: nhiều người bị gãy xương hông, cột sống hoặc cổ tay hoàn toàn không bao giờ được kiểm tra hay điều trị [7] [2]. Vì vậy, nếu bạn đã từng bị gãy xương dễ dàng, hãy đề nghị kiểm tra mật độ xương và tiếp tục hỏi cho đến khi bạn có một kế hoạch.
Tài liệu tham khảo¶
[1] The osteoporosis care gap in Canada. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2004. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2474-5-11
[2] A Missed Opportunity? Osteoporosis Treatment Following Femoral Neck Fractures: Reducing the Risk of Secondary Hip Fracture. The Journal of Arthroplasty. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2025.07.028
[3] Medical management of osteoporosis and the doctor's' role. Injury. 2016. DOI: 10.1016/s0020-1383(16)30014-6
[4] BONE HEALTH AND OSTEOPOROSIS. Clinics in Sports Medicine. 2000. DOI: 10.1016/s0278-5919(05)70201-5
[5] The association between body mass index and osteoporosis, with consideration of sex differences: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2026. DOI: 10.1186/s12891-026-09675-3
[6] Wristwatch—distal radial fracture as a marker for osteoporosis investigation:. Journal of Hand Therapy. 2004. DOI: 10.1197/j.jht.2004.04.001
[7] The Management of Pelvic and Vertebral Fragility Fractures: An Unmet Care Need. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 2026. DOI: 10.2106/jbjs.26.00966
[8] Use of teriparatide in osteoporotic fracture patients. Injury. 2016. DOI: 10.1016/s0020-1383(16)30009-2
[9] Strong, steady and straight: UK consensus statement on physical activity and exercise for osteoporosis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2022. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-104634
[10] Risk prediction models for postmenopausal osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2026. DOI: 10.1186/s12891-025-09385-2
[11] Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist use for type 2 diabetes and risk of upper extremity fragility fracture. Injury. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2026.113456
[12] Continuity and volume of bone cement and anti osteoporosis treatment were guarantee of good clinical outcomes for percutaneous vertebroplasty: a multicenter study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2025. DOI: 10.1186/s12891-024-08153-y
[13] Impact of osteoporosis on post-operative outcomes following rotator cuff repair. JSES Reviews, Reports, and Techniques. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.xrrt.2026.100723
[14] Osteoporosis and colles' fractures in the elderly. The Journal of Hand Surgery: Journal of the British Society for Surgery of the Hand. 1987. DOI: 10.1016/0266-7681(87)90058-1
[15] A89 Osteoporosis is not a risk factor for the development of nonunion: a cohort nested case-control study. Injury. 2011. DOI: 10.1016/s0020-1383(11)70106-1
[16] No difference in 2-year outcomes of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in patients with osteoporosis. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2025.02.011
[17] Osteoporosis is a risk factor for complications and reoperations at 1 and 3 years after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. JSES International. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.jseint.2026.101678
[18] Revisiting Intranasal Salmon Calcitonin: Historical Osteoporosis Evidence and a Potential Role in Acute Orthopaedic Pain Management. JBJS Reviews. 2026. DOI: 10.2106/jbjs.rvw.26.00021
[19] Efficacy of acupuncture for primary osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research. 2025. DOI: 10.1186/s13018-025-05513-9
[20] Natural traditional Chinese medicine products: emerging therapeutic targets for the treatment of osteoporosis. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research. 2025. DOI: 10.1186/s13018-025-05879-w
[21] Timing optimization of teriparatide dosing for postmenopausal osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research. 2025. DOI: 10.1186/s13018-025-06083-6
[22] Incidence of Anti-osteoporosis Diagnosis and Treatment After Distal Radius Fractures. HAND. 2016. DOI: 10.1177/1558944716660555dj
Evidence & references
This is the clinical evidence summary written for health professionals. It is technical, and it lists the research this page was built from. You do not need to read it to understand your treatment or to make a decision about it.
Overview¶
- Prevention of osteoporosis is accomplished by maximizing peak bone density and maintaining that bone density [4].
- The goal of osteoporosis treatment is to stop further bone loss to prevent a fracture or any subsequent fragility fractures [4].
- Each 1-unit increase in body mass index is associated with a 9% reduction in osteoporosis risk [6].
- Current online health information on osteoporosis often fails to meet basic standards of evidence-based health information [3].
- There is evidence of a care gap between the occurrence of a fragility fracture and the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in Canada [14].
- Treatment of the underlying osteoporosis to prevent secondary fractures is rarely initiated following pelvic and vertebral fragility fractures [5].
- Low rates of osteoporotic pharmacotherapy are observed in patients who have sustained femoral neck fractures despite established guidelines [33].
- Patients with osteoporosis may experience a higher incidence of medical complications within the 90-day global period following rotator cuff repair than nonosteoporotic patients [21].
- Osteoporosis should not be considered a contraindication to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair [31].
- Patients with distal radial fractures in elderly women should be screened for osteoporosis [11].
- Intranasal salmon calcitonin is less effective than bisphosphonates and modern anabolic agents for increasing bone mineral density and reducing fracture risk [12].
- The use of intranasal salmon calcitonin is best reserved for patients who cannot take first-line therapies due to contraindications, intolerance, or personal preference [12].
- Sequential anabolic-to-anti-resorptive therapy may inform treatment guidelines for high-risk postmenopausal populations [7].
- The ability of monocytes to fuse declines significantly in patients with osteoporosis [52].
How It Works¶
Pathophysiology and Mechanisms¶
- Hypothalamic-pituitary disconnection leads to osteoporosis with a reduction in both trabecular and cortical bone caused by a low bone turnover situation, with reduced osteoblast and osteoclast activity [26].
- MiR-137 promotes TLR4/NF-κB pathway activity through targeting KDM4A, which inhibits osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and aggravates osteoporosis [36].
- The gut microbiota–metabolite–bone network may be involved in the skeletal effects of leptin, providing mechanistic insights for osteoporosis management [35].
- Macrophage polarization-related genes have potential causal roles in osteoporosis, though these findings are exploratory and require validation in bone marrow-specific and functional studies [34].
- Evidence of early changes in bone geometry and increased bone turnover could be used to detect osteoporosis before estrogen deficiency has adversely affected bone strength [24].
Fracture Healing and Bone Repair¶
- In humans, de novo use of bisphosphonate therapy after fracture does not appear to have a significant effect on fracture healing [30].
- Prior bisphosphonate treatment affects the mineralization pattern of tissue repair consistently with a reduction in bone turnover, but does not abolish the repair process [23].
- The effect of ovariectomy on fracture repair is to delay healing, with the deleterious effect potentially related more to change of structure than to loss of bone mineral density [39].
- Fracture healing in SAMP6 mice is not detrimentally affected by impairment of bone marrow stem cell osteogenesis, suggesting that bone marrow-mediated repair processes are dispensable for normal bone healing in this senile osteoporotic fracture model [42].
- There is some promising experimental and clinical evidence for possible enhancement of the bone repair process via administration of systemic agents [25].
- Bisphosphonate treatment results in cracks that are shorter than in control or ovariectomized groups, which may explain why increased damage levels following bisphosphonate treatment have not led to increased fractures [38].
- Osteoporosis is not a risk factor for the development of nonunion, although bone quality may be diminished in the elderly [44].
Risk Factors and Screening¶
- Each 1-unit increase in body mass index was associated with a 9% reduction in osteoporosis risk based on a dose-response analysis of nine studies [6].
- Postmenopausal women with distal radius fractures have diminished bone mass, which might make a bone more likely to break [43].
- Patients with distal radial fractures should be screened for osteoporosis [11].
- A simple inexpensive tool has potential to increase the rate of osteoporosis investigation in an at-risk population [19].
- Machine learning application to hand radiographs represents a possible step toward more accessible, cost-effective, automated diagnosis and therefore earlier treatment of osteoporosis or osteopenia [10].
- A nomogram with an online dynamic calculator could facilitate the early prediction, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis, contributing to the bone health of the elderly population [13].
- A bone density based aging model may facilitate and support the development of precision medicine strategies in osteoporosis prevention and management [1].
Treatment and Management¶
- Prevention of osteoporosis can be accomplished by maximizing peak bone density and maintaining that bone density, although the goal of treatment is to stop further bone loss to prevent a fracture or any subsequent fragility fractures [4].
- Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that treatment of osteoporosis in patients with fragility fractures can reduce the risk of subsequent fractures by up to 50% and mortality rates by up to 30% [18].
- Intranasal salmon calcitonin is less effective than bisphosphonates and modern anabolic agents for increasing bone mineral density and reducing fracture risk, and its use is best reserved for patients who cannot take first-line therapies due to contraindications, intolerance, or personal preference [12].
- The current evidence suggests that the efficacy of acupuncture in improving the symptoms of primary osteoporosis is encouraging for its use in clinical practice as a physical intervention [17].
- Treatment of the underlying osteoporosis to prevent secondary fractures is rarely initiated, and treatments vary widely and are not always evidence-based [5].
- A program for secondary osteoporotic fracture prevention is needed following distal radius fractures [27].
- Natural traditional Chinese medicine products provide a theoretical and experimental basis for the development of new drugs and the improvement of osteoporosis management [22].
- A calcitonin release system confirms good in vivo behavior and a therapeutic effect of the released calcitonin in the osteopenic condition [28].
- Timing optimization of teriparatide dosing may guide personalized dosing strategies to enhance bone formation and reduce fracture risk in osteoporosis [15].
Clinical Outcomes and Surgical Considerations¶
- There is no relationship between decreased bone mineral density and 2-year clinical outcomes following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in patients with osteoporosis [20].
- Findings from studies on long-term hospitalized patients with muscular dystrophy may help inform strategies for osteoporotic treatment and nutritional care in this patient population [8].
Research Models and Assessment¶
- Investigators must select an osteoporotic fracture model that best reflects the clinical problem being studied and the underlying pathophysiology of the osteoporosis in the target patient group [2].
- There is no perfect model for osteoporosis, but a variety of models are appropriate for answering specific questions [9].
- Multiscale biomechanical assessment approaches have potential applications in fracture risk assessment, the design of patient-specific implants, and research into the mechanisms of bone metabolic diseases [37].
- Current online health information on osteoporosis often fails to meet basic standards of evidence-based health information, highlighting the urgent need to improve quality to support informed decision-making [3].
What the Evidence Shows¶
Prevention and Risk Factors¶
- Prevention of osteoporosis involves maximizing peak bone density and maintaining that bone density [4].
- A bone density-based aging model may facilitate the development of precision medicine strategies in osteoporosis prevention and management [1].
- A nomogram with an online dynamic calculator could facilitate the early prediction, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis [13].
- Machine learning-based prediction models for postmenopausal osteoporosis without fractures demonstrate good discriminative ability but are characterized by a high risk of bias, a lack of calibration performance evaluation, and insufficient validation of clinical utility [56].
- A fracture risk prediction model based on routine blood test markers was successfully developed and validated for patients newly diagnosed with osteoporosis [49].
- Diabetes shows varying associations with bone mineral density at different sites, with significant associations found for type 2 diabetes on femoral neck and total body BMD, and HbA1c on heel BMD [54].
- After adjusting for metabolic confounds, the skeletal benefit of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists did not translate to meaningful risk reductions in upper extremity fragility fracture [48].
Diagnosis and Screening¶
- Application of machine learning to hand radiographs represents a possible step toward more accessible, cost-effective, automated diagnosis and earlier treatment of osteoporosis or osteopenia [10].
- A simple inexpensive tool has the potential to increase the rate of osteoporosis investigation in an at-risk population [19].
- In a study of distal radial fractures, 92% of intervention subjects were investigated for osteoporosis compared with 23% in the usual-care group [29].
- The treatment of underlying osteoporosis to prevent secondary fractures is rarely initiated after pelvic and vertebral fragility fractures [5].
Pharmacological Treatment¶
- A randomized controlled trial is expected to provide insights into optimizing teriparatide administration timing to enhance bone formation and reduce fracture risk [15].
- Acupuncture has encouraging efficacy in improving the symptoms of primary osteoporosis for use in clinical practice as a physical intervention [17].
- Jintiange capsules are a good choice for patients with osteoporosis in terms of relieving pain, improving bone mineral density, improving activity function, improving gait, and preventing fracture [51].
Surgical and Orthopaedic Considerations¶
- There is no relationship between decreased bone mineral density and 2-year clinical outcomes following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair [20].
- Patients with osteoporosis may experience a higher incidence of medical complications within the 90-day global period than nonosteoporotic patients following rotator cuff repair [21].
- Continuous bone cement and standardized treatment for osteoporosis were guarantees of good clinical outcomes for percutaneous vertebroplasty [46].
- Injected bone cement greater than 5.5 ml might be a guarantee of good clinical outcomes for percutaneous vertebroplasty [46].
- Key challenges in enrollment in geriatric fracture trials comparing non-surgical management to surgical management were identified for pelvic fragility fractures [47].
- A phosphocalcic cement technique could be employed in the future to prevent the occurrence of fractures in osteoporotic patients [50].
Fracture Healing and Bone Repair¶
- There is promising experimental and clinical evidence for possible enhancement of the bone repair process via administration of systemic agents [25].
- Patients who received parathyroid hormone (1–84) injections accelerated radiographic and clinical fracture healing to 7.8 weeks compared to 12.6 weeks in patients who received no treatment [45].
Physical Activity and Lifestyle¶
- People with osteoporosis should undertake resistance and impact exercise to maximize bone strength [32].
- People with osteoporosis should undertake activities to improve strength and balance to reduce falls [32].
- People with osteoporosis should undertake spinal extension exercise to improve posture and potentially reduce risk of falls and vertebral fractures [32].
Research Models¶
- Hypothalamic-pituitary disconnection leads to osteoporosis with a reduction in both trabecular and cortical bone caused by a low bone turnover situation with reduced osteoblast and osteoclast activity after 12 months [26].
Practical Considerations¶
Prevention and Risk Assessment¶
- A bone density based aging model approach may facilitate the development of precision medicine strategies in osteoporosis prevention and management [1].
- Machine learning application to hand radiographs represents a possible step toward more accessible, cost-effective, automated diagnosis and earlier treatment of osteoporosis or osteopenia [10].
Screening and Diagnosis¶
- A simple inexpensive tool for distal radius fractures has potential to increase the rate of osteoporosis investigation in an at-risk population [19].
- Intervention subjects with distal radial fractures were investigated for osteoporosis at a rate of 92%, compared with 23% in the usual-care group [29].
- Patients with hand fragility fractures represent a high-risk cohort that is currently underserved by osteoporosis screening pathways [40].
Pharmacological Management¶
- Treatment of osteoporosis in patients with fragility fractures can reduce the risk of subsequent fractures by up to 50% and mortality rates by up to 30% [18].
- Randomized controlled trials are expected to provide insights into optimizing teriparatide administration timing to enhance bone formation and reduce fracture risk [15].
- The efficacy of acupuncture in improving the symptoms of primary osteoporosis is encouraging for its use in clinical practice as a physical intervention [17].
Non-Pharmacological Management¶
Clinical Gaps and Care Delivery¶
- Despite established guidelines, low rates of osteoporotic pharmacotherapy were seen in patients who had femoral neck fractures [33].
- Osteoporosis continues to be grossly underdiagnosed in the context of sacral fragility fractures [41].
- Surgical treatment remains underutilized for sacral fragility fractures [41].
Surgical Considerations¶
Key Evidence¶
- [L3] This approach may facilitate and support the development of precision medicine strategies in osteoporosis prevention and management. [1] (10.1186/s12891-025-09298-0)
- [L5] Investigators must select a model that best reflects the clinical problem being studied, and the underlying pathophysiology of the osteoporosis in the target patient group. [2] (10.1016/s0020-1383(16)30004-3)
- [Paper] Current OHI on osteoporosis often fails to meet basic standards of EBHI, highlighting the urgent need to improve the quality to support informed decision-making. [3] (10.1186/s12891-026-09711-2)
- [Paper] Prevention of osteoporosis can be accomplished by maximizing peak bone density and maintaining that bone density, although the goal of treatment is to stop further bone loss to prevent a fracture or any subsequent fragility fractures. [4] (10.1016/s0278-5919(05)70201-5)
- [L5] The treatments vary widely and are not always evidence-based and, unfortunately, treatment of the underlying osteoporosis to prevent secondary fractures is rarely initiated. [5] (10.2106/jbjs.26.00966)
- [L1] Based on our dose–response analysis of nine studies, each 1-unit increase in BMI was associated with a 9% reduction in osteoporosis risk. [6] (10.1186/s12891-026-09675-3)
- [L1] This sequential anabolic-to-anti-resorptive therapy may inform treatment guidelines for high-risk postmenopausal populations. [7] (10.1186/s13018-025-06040-3)
- [L4] These findings may help inform strategies for osteoporotic treatment and nutritional care in this patient population. [8] (10.1186/s12891-026-10045-2)
- [Paper] However, there is no perfect model for osteoporosis, but a variety of models appropriate for answering specific questions. [9] (10.1016/s0020-1383(16)30002-x)
- [L2] The findings represent a possible step toward more accessible, cost-effective, automated diagnosis and therefore earlier treatment of osteoporosis/osteopenia. [10] (10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.09.008)
- [L4] It is the authors' opinion that such patients should be screened for osteoporosis. [11] (10.1016/j.jhsb.2004.05.002)
- [Paper] IN-CAL is less effective than bisphosphonates and modern anabolic agents for increasing BMD and reducing fracture risk; accordingly, its use is best reserved for patients who cannot take first-line therapies due to contraindications, intolerance, or personal preference. [12] (10.2106/jbjs.rvw.26.00021)
- [L3] Ultimately, this tool could facilitate the early prediction, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis, thus contributing to the bone health of the elderly population and promoting the development of public health. [13] (10.1186/s12891-026-09920-9)
- [L4] There is evidence of a care gap between the occurrence of a fragility fracture and the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in Canada. [14] (10.1186/1471-2474-5-11)
- [L2] This trial is expected to provide crucial insights into optimizing teriparatide administration timing, potentially guiding personalized dosing strategies to enhance bone formation and reduce fracture risk in osteoporosis. [15] (10.1186/s13018-025-06083-6)
- [L1] The current evidence suggests that the efficacy of acupuncture in improving the symptoms of primary osteoporosis is encouraging for its use in clinical practice as a physical intervention. [17] (10.1186/s13018-025-05513-9)
- [Paper] Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that treatment of osteoporosis in patients with fragility fractures can reduce the risk of subsequent fractures by up to 50% and mortality rates by up to 30%. [18] (10.1016/s0020-1383(16)30014-6)
- [L1] This simple inexpensive tool has potential to increase the rate of osteoporosis investigation in an at-risk population. [19] (10.1197/j.jht.2003.10.030)
- [L3] Despite previous literature showing the negative effect of osteoporosis on rotator cuff healing, our data showed no relationship between decreased bone mineral density and 2-year clinical outcomes following RCR. [20] (10.1016/j.jse.2025.02.011)
- [L3] In addition, patients with osteoporosis may experience a higher incidence of medical complications within the 90-day global period than nonosteoporotic patient. [21] (10.1016/j.xrrt.2026.100723)
- [L4] This paper summarises recent research progress on natural TCM products in preventing and treating osteoporosis and provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the development of new drugs and the improvement of osteoporosis management. [22] (10.1186/s13018-025-05879-w)
- [L4] Prior bisphosphonate treatment affects the mineralization pattern of the tissue repair consistently with a reduction in bone turnover as found in post-menopausal osteoporotic women, but does not abolish the repair process. [23] (10.1002/jor.22026)
- [Paper] Therefore, evidence of early changes in bone geometry and increased bone turnover could be used to detect osteoporosis before estrogen deficiency has adversely affected bone strength. [24] (10.1002/jor.20961)
- [Paper] There is some promising experimental and clinical evidence for possible enhancement of the bone repair process via administration of systemic agents. [25] (10.1016/s0020-1383(16)30003-1)
- [Paper] HPD leads after 12 month to osteoporosis with a reduction in both trabecular and cortical bone caused by a low bone turnover situation, with reduced osteoblast and osteoclast activity, as compared to controls (OVX). [26] (10.1002/jor.22066)
- [L4] The results of our study evidenced the need of a program for secondary osteoporotic fracture prevention; this program has now been developed and is active at our institution. [27] (10.1177/1558944716660555dj)
- [Paper] These data confirm a good in vivo behavior of the system, as well as a therapeutic effect of the released calcitonin in the osteopenic condition. [28] (10.1016/s0736-0266(01)00074-7)
- [L2] Results indicate that 92% of the intervention subjects were investigated for osteoporosis, compared with the usual-care group, in which only 23% were investigated. [29] (10.1197/j.jht.2004.04.001)
- [L4] In humans, de novo use of bisphosphonate therapy after fracture does not appear to have a significant effect on fracture healing. [30] (10.1016/s0020-1383(16)30015-8)
- [L3] Overall rates of complication were low and osteoporosis should not be considered a contraindication to arthroscopic RCR. [31] (10.1016/j.jseint.2026.101678)
- [L5] Key recommendations are that people with osteoporosis should undertake (1) resistance and impact exercise to maximise bone strength; (2) activities to improve strength and balance to reduce falls; (3) spinal extension exercise to improve posture and potentially reduce risk of falls and vertebral fractures. [32] (10.1136/bjsports-2021-104634)
- [L3] Despite established guidelines, low rates of osteoporotic pharmacotherapy were seen in patients who had femoral neck fractures. [33] (10.1016/j.arth.2025.07.028)
- [Paper] These findings are exploratory and hypothesis-generating and require validation in bone marrow-specific and functional studies. [34] (10.1186/s13018-026-06905-1)
- [Paper] These findings suggest that the gut microbiota–metabolite–bone network may be involved in the skeletal effects of leptin, providing novel mechanistic insights and potential therapeutic strategies for osteoporosis management. [35] (10.1186/s12891-026-09950-3)
- [Paper] This mechanism inhibits osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and aggravates osteoporosis. [36] (10.1186/s13018-023-03918-y)
- [L5] It explores the potential applications of these multiscale approaches in fracture risk assessment, the design of patient-specific implants, and research into the mechanisms of bone metabolic diseases. [37] (10.1016/j.injury.2026.113659)
- [Paper] However, these cracks were shorter than in control or OVX groups which may provide one explanation as to why increased damage levels following bisphosphonate treatment have not lead to increased fractures. [38] (10.1002/jor.21229)
- [Paper] The effect of OVX on fracture repair was to delay healing as evidenced by histological and radiological analysis, and the evidence suggests that the deleterious effect might be more related to change of structure than to loss of BMD. [39] (10.1002/jor.20505)
- [L3] Patients with hand fragility fractures represent a high-risk cohort that is currently underserved by osteoporosis screening pathways. [40] (10.1016/j.injury.2026.113261)
- [L4] While cross-sectional imaging use has expanded, surgical treatment remains underutilized, and osteoporosis continues to be grossly underdiagnosed. [41] (10.1016/j.injury.2025.112850)
- [Paper] Fracture healing in SAMP6 mice is not detrimentally affected by impairment of BMSC osteogenesis, suggesting that bone marrow-mediated repair processes are dispensable for normal bone healing in this senile osteoporotic fracture model. [42] (10.1002/jor.21041)
- [L4] They also have diminished bone mass, which might make a bone more likely to break. [43] (10.1016/0363-5023(88)90227-4)
- [L3] Although bone quality may be diminished in the elderly, this does not influence the occurrence of nonunion. [44] (10.1016/s0020-1383(11)70106-1)
- [Paper] Patients who received the PTH (1–84) injections accelerated radiographic and clinical fracture healing (7.8 weeks) when compared to patients who received no treatment (12.6 weeks). [45] (10.1016/s0020-1383(16)30009-2)
- [L3] Continuous bone cement and standardized treatment for osteoporosis were guarantees of good clinical outcomes for PVP, and injected bone cement >5.5 ml might be a guarantee. [46] (10.1186/s12891-024-08153-y)
- [L2] Key challenges in enrollment in geriatric fracture trials comparing NSM to SM were identified. [47] (10.1016/j.injury.2025.112462)
- [L3] After adjusting for metabolic confounds, we found that the postulated skeletal benefit of GLP 1RAs did not translate to meaningful risk reductions in this population. [48] (10.1016/j.injury.2026.113456)
- [L3] We successfully developed and validated a fracture risk prediction model for patients newly diagnosed with osteoporosis. [49] (10.1186/s12891-026-09768-z)
- [L5] This technique could be employed in the future to prevent the occurrence of fractures in osteoporotic patients. [50] (10.1016/j.main.2003.12.003)
- [L1] In terms of relieving pain, improving BMD, improving activity function, and improving gait and preventing fracture, JTG is a good choice for patients with osteoporosis (OP). [51] (10.1186/s12891-025-08694-w)
- [L4] It was clearly demonstrated that the ability of monocytes to fuse declines significantly in patients with osteoporosis. [52] (10.1002/jor.1100180215)
- [Paper] The results show varying associations across different BMD sites (femoral neck, lumbar spine, heel, total body) and methods (IVW, MR-Egger, Weighted median), with some significant associations found for T2D on femoral neck and total body BMD, and HbA1c on heel BMD. [54] (10.1186/s12891-024-07430-0)
- [L1] Current machine learning-based prediction models for postmenopausal osteoporosis without fractures demonstrate good discriminative ability but are generally characterized by a high risk of bias, a notable lack of calibration performance evaluation, and insufficient validation of clinical utility. [56] (10.1186/s12891-025-09385-2)
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