“Liu,” at the age of 58, was pushing her husband’s wheelchair down their apartment hallway when she suddenly felt a sharp, stabbing pain shoot through her lower back. She could no longer stand upright. At the hospital, scans revealed an unexpected diagnosis—a lumbar compression fracture.
Another patient, “Chen,” at the age of 62, had been standing for just over an hour at a community event when she felt intense lower back pain and collapsed into a chair. She, too, was later diagnosed with a lumbar fracture.
Both women were living with severe osteoporosis, with which everyday stresses can cause the bones to collapse—simple activities were enough to trigger their lumbar fractures.With advancing age, the prevalence of osteoporosis and related fractures continues to rise. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that from 2017 to 2018, 12.6 percent of Americans age 50 and older had osteoporosis, while 43.1 percent had low bone density—a condition that significantly increases fracture risk.
Symptoms of Osteoporosis
The clinical symptoms of osteoporosis primarily include:- Lower Back Pain: Pain worsens with prolonged sitting, standing, or maintaining the same posture for extended periods.
- Spinal Deformities: Decreased bone density makes the spine prone to fractures and deformities, leading to a hunched back. In severe cases, patients may be unable to lie flat, which can affect sleep quality.
- Organ Compression: A hunched posture can compress the chest cavity, causing breathing difficulties, heart palpitations, bloating, or indigestion.
- Nerve Compression: Lumbar fractures may compress nerves, resulting in lower back and leg pain.
- Bone Fracture: Occurs easily in osteoporosis—especially in the hip, spine, and wrist—even from minor falls or simple daily movements. A 2024 study found that for people over 65, a hip fracture carries a mortality rate of up to 35.4 percent within one year.
