Start walking today, as this is a very good way to increase bone density. Osteoporosis
is the most common skeletal disorder. It is characterized by an
absolute reduction in bone density and mass. Bones become weak
and are at increased risk of breaking. Because 28 of the bones
in the body are located in the foot and they are under the pressure
of the entire body weight, fractures commonly manifest
here. Sunlight does not directly provide vitamin D; it
stimulates the body to make vitamin D from a precursor found in the
skin. The active form of vitamin D promotes the uptake of
calcium from the intestines so it can be used to calcify bone as well
as stimulating the parathyroid hormone to reabsorb calcium before it
is filtered out by the kidneys as waste. Without enough vitamin
D, not only are individuals at risk for osteoporosis, but they can
also develop a similar condition called osteomalacia. In
osteomalacia, bone cannot be mineralized and symptoms include muscle
weakness, bone pain and bone deformities. The
childhood form of osteomalacia that is more commonly known is called
rickets. In rickets, children affected will typically be six to
12 months of age and will have symptoms of muscle tetany or extreme
muscle contraction, delayed development, smaller overall stature and
soft tissue swelling, or edema around the growth plates
located at the ends of bones. Bowing of the tibia bone inward
in the legs is a common consequence of vitamin D deficiency in
rickets.
The
one upside of these diseases is that there are some preventative
measures that can be taken to avoid their occurrence. To keep
your foot bones and the rest of the bones in your body healthy, be
sure you have enough vitamin D as a part of your healthy diet.
Bone mass peaks at age 35, so it is especially important to maintain
an adequate amount of vitamin D and calcium in your diet and through
exposure to sunlight later in life. Females are prone to
developing osteoporosis following menopause and therefore should also
take extra care to keep their bones strong. By contacting your
podiatrist at the first signs of foot injury or bony pain in
your feet and ankles, both any fractures that have occurred as well
as loss of bone density can often be identified in one set
of x-rays. The sooner that loss of bone
density is identified, the sooner steps can be taken to supplement
vitamins and minerals necessary to keep you healthy and on your feet!
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