Musculoskeletal Disorders

Our skeleton provides our body with strength, structure, and support. Without our bones we could not sit, stand, dance, play, or lie down and read a book. It is therefore vitally important that we protect our bones throughout our lives. Getting enough calcium as well as resistance strength training are crucial to the development and maintenance of healthy bones. Holding our skeleton together are hundreds of individual muscles whose health depends on our nutritional intake as well as physical activity. To maintain muscle mass and strength, one should engage in a variety of physical activities.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders denote any abnormalities or illnesses that affect either the muscular or skeletal system. Examples of muscular disorders include foot drop (when the ankles and toes turn upward) and shin splints (inflammation of the connective tissue on the calf). Skeletal disorders are varied and many, and two examples are bone spurs (bony projections on joints) and arthritis (inflammation and pain in the joints). These disorders are often painful and debilitating if left untreated but many successful treatments and therapies exist to make the conditions more manageable.

Osteopetrosis

Osteopetrosis is an extremely rare inherited disorder in which the bones become dense and harden. In normal bone formation, there is a balance between osteoblasts which create bone tissue and osteoclasts which destroy bone tissues. Patients with osteopetrosis have too few osteoclasts so too much bone is created. Though seemingly contradictory, those with this disease have bones which are more brittle than normal. Mild cases usually do not show signs of the disease, whereas more serious forms can result in stunted growth, deformity, increased likelihood for fractures and anemia. The extra bone can also put pressure on surrounding tissues, leading to blindness, facial paralysis and deafness.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased risk of fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist. Men as well as women are affected by osteoporosis, a disease that can be prevented and treated. Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for 44 million Americans, 68 percent of whom are women. In the U.S. today, 10 million individuals already have osteoporosis and 34 million more have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for this disease. One out of every two women and one in four men over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime.