The action of voluntary muscles on bones and joints produces locomotion in vertebrates. A second important function is the protection of softer structures, especially those of the nervous system. In my research process for this essay, I was enlightened to the fact that osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are not the same disease. Osteoporosis is a condition of bone characterized by excessive porosity, or reduction of actual bone tissue. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is also called degenerative joint disease and involves the long-term destruction of cartilage in joints. It also involves the enlargement of the joint ends of bones. The other thing that became apparent fairly soon in the process was that many of the same preventative measures and treatments can be considered for both conditions. With Osteoporosis, absorption of the old bone exceeds deposition of new bone. The result is an enlargement of normal spaces and a thinning of the bone from the inside. There may be no change in the outside dimensions, except in compression of weight-bearing bones. The most common type of osteoporosis (senile and postmenopausal, or primary) is found only in elderly persons and in women who have passed through menopause. It is characterized by compression of the vertebrae with resultant back pain and loss of height, back deformities (e.g., dowager's hump), and by susceptibility to fractures. Often, there are no symptoms until a fracture occurs. The most common sites for fractures associated with osteoporosis are the hip, arm, and wrist. The hip is a common site of fractures in women with osteoporosis. Often the problem is discovered when your doctor takes an x-ray for some other reason. The definitive test for diagnosing osteoporosis is a bone density study. One treatment developed for spinal osteoporosis is the use of slow-release fluorine tablets. Older women may receive estrogen therapy but with a possible increased risk of uterine cancer.
