My paternal grandmother and mother both seem to have osteoporosis because they have major lower back issues. I’m only 18, but I’ve been having lower back pains too. I thought it was because I danced too much and over-worked my hips and back (hip-hop, salsa, krump, etc.), but now I see I run the risk of having osteoporosis too. What should I do?

There are many causes to low back pain. I wouldn’t rate Osteoporosis particularly highly unless the vertebral bodies have started to collapse increasing the AP curve changing the muscle balance.
Please don’t self diagnose this condition.
The only way you can tell osteoporosis in the early onset is with bone density scans.

Diet and lifestyle are major factors in preventing osteoporosis.

A diet too rich in protein and sugar is very damaging to bone health as is a very sedentary lifestyle (and having babies when you have a gynae age of less than 4. Your Gynae age is calculated by the age you are when you first menstruate. A girl aged 14 who started menstruating at 12 and a girl of 16 who started menstruating at 14 both have a gynae age of 2). A diet deficient in Calcium is also damaging to bone health.

If hip hop dancers are prone to Osteoporosis I suspects its because they are undernourished rather than because of their activity.
I treated a lot of dancers when i practiced in the UK as the clinic I worked in had a contract with a dance school. They virtually all had eating disorders and were osteoporosis waiting to happen.

I suspect your low back pain is probably because you have a deep lumbar curve if you do a lot of dancing.

Vertebral (spine) compression fractures and hip fractures.

Two facts (one to dispute an answer I see)
1) Phosphorus absolutely reduces bone strength and makes them more brittle…and pop is FILLED with phosphorus. DON’T drink it.

2) LOAD bearing exercises absolutely increase bone density. Weight lifting and running are best examples. Biking is great for muscles…but NOT for bone density. There is another very recent study on this.

Does an increase in bone density guarantee a bone won’t break?? NO! An increase in bone density simple means the bones are denser than they would be otherwise.

So, keep up load bearing workouts and it will help you not only muscularly but also with bone density.

Learn the risk factors for developing osteoporosis. Dr. Omar El-Abd, MD, from Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Spine Center, explains what puts you at risk – some risks include smoking, diet, medicines. coffee-drinking, and gender. How much calcium should you have in your diet? For more info, please visit www.nwh.org/spine.

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Dr. Warren Levy explains the differences and what options are there.

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