By Kathleen Doheny
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Growing up, a broken bone—suffered during a sport or a daredevil act like jumping off a roof—was likely to produce bragging rights, along with a nice collection of autographs on the cast.
After age 60, fractures could mean hospitalization and a long recovery. “A fracture can be a life altering event,” says Andrea Singer, MD, chief medical officer at the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (formerly the National Osteoporosis Foundation) and director of the division of women’s primary care at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington. “It can impair mobility and lead to a lack of independence.” Singer also directs MedStar’s bone densitometry and fracture liaison service, and often encounters myths and misconceptions from patients about bone health.