I Found I Had Osteoporosis Once I Broke My Elbows

As informed to Erica Rimlinger

I wasn’t taking dangers once I fell. I used to be strolling on a paved path within the park with my grown kids once I simply tripped on seemingly nothing. I lurched ahead, leaving my toes behind me and my higher physique hurtling towards the pavement. As knowledgeable pianist, I believed I’d skilled myself to not use my palms to catch myself throughout a fall, however when the second got here, instincts overcame intentions, and I landed on my palms.

Embarrassed, I acquired up shortly and insisted I used to be tremendous. However after a number of steps I started to doubt that. My arms, wrists and palms have been in a variety of ache. We circled and went residence.

The following day, my elbows have been bruising, swelling and radiating ache. One elbow felt worse than the opposite. I suspected it was damaged but additionally thought it was unusual that such a brief fall would generate the momentum to interrupt bones.

Since my work requires using my arms and palms, I couldn’t let this damage go unexamined by a healthcare supplier (HCP). I’m a full-time music professor and musician performing each on campus in addition to in skilled venues across the nation. My capacity to play music is my livelihood.

An X-ray confirmed my suspicions: A bone in my elbow was damaged. After my different elbow continued to throb and swell, I had it X-rayed as effectively, and there was a damaged bone in that elbow too.

I’d by no means damaged a bone in my life and now abruptly I had two damaged bones. After some web analysis, I got here throughout a doable rationalization for my sudden fragility: osteoporosis, a illness that weakens your bones. I known as my HCP and requested in the event that they thought a bone density check can be a good suggestion for me. I used to be solely 58 years outdated: Most insurance coverage usually received’t pay for bone density scans till age 60, however since I’d had a fracture and my HCP agreed I ought to have the check, it was lined by insurance coverage.

I had two danger components for osteoporosis earlier than the autumn: I used to be a middle-aged girl with a small physique body. Nonetheless, I didn’t produce other danger components: Osteoporosis didn’t run in my household, I by no means smoked, I took a day by day multivitamin for ladies and I exercised often.

After the bone density scan confirmed I had osteoporosis, I felt frail and susceptible and nervous about strolling. I’d at all times been a runner, a walker and a hiker. However now I prevented these actions. I used to be afraid of falling and breaking different bones.

I began taking a drugs to cut back bone loss. I began swimming as a substitute of strolling. Swimming helped in so some ways. I gained power, confidence and arm mass. I had at all times practiced yoga however now centered extra effort on constructing steadiness and power throughout my follow.

2025

My elbows healed, and I used to be grateful my wrists hadn’t damaged. I might nonetheless play piano. Along with instructing, I’m additionally a church musician. When my bones have been damaged, I missed only one Sunday on the piano. I wasn’t enjoying significantly effectively the week I returned, and I needed to postpone a recording challenge and delay a live performance, however I might play piano, and I used to be grateful for that. I had began to play guitar for a music remedy program, incomes my certification in it simply earlier than my fall, and I needed to relearn that ability after the bones in my elbows healed.

My fall was three years in the past, and my physician ordered a second bone density check a number of months in the past. I used to be amazed to be taught that the medicine I’d taken had reversed my bone loss. I’m nonetheless in danger for osteoporosis once more sooner or later, however I now have a much less extreme model of it known as osteopenia, which suggests my bone density is decrease than regular however not low sufficient to be osteoporosis. Most individuals discover out they’ve osteopenia earlier than it develops into osteoporosis – like having prediabetes earlier than a diabetes prognosis. My diagnostic journey took me from the illness to the warning stage.

I’m sharing my story to assist ladies perceive the significance of taking cost of their bone well being. I need individuals to know that bone well being evolves — and you may enhance your bone density with remedy and wholesome life-style adjustments.

I intend to maintain my bone well being shifting in the fitting path. Along with my medicine, I take vitamin D and calcium dietary supplements and do workouts that construct bone power. I’m grateful to proceed to play music and benefit from the issues I like, together with mountain climbing, which I’d been avoiding since my fall. On a current go to to my son in Colorado, my husband and I went mountain climbing within the mountains. I used mountain climbing poles for added stability, however I didn’t let worry of falling cease me. Each time these poles hit the bottom, it was music to my ears.

This instructional useful resource was created with help from Amgen and UCB.

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