If you are over 45 and find yourself going weak at the knees, don't think that Cupid is shooting its arrow at you! The bones of your legs may have fallen victim to osteoporosis, an unhealthy condition in which the bones become porous.

Osteoporosis is characterised by a decrease in bone density and bone mass which makes the bones of the body fragile and weak.

Nearly 20% of the women and 12 percent of the men aged 50 or above in India suffer from osteoporosis but the disorder remains largely under-diagnosed and undertreated. The prevalence of osteoporosis is even more widespread in rural and semi-urban areas.

Weakening of the bones leads to unexpected fractures that can occur anywhere in the body. Nowadays, more than 80 percent of all spinal fractures are caused by osteoporosis, say experts.

Another area of the body commonly affected by osteoporosis is the hip bone.

Apart from the pain and immobility they cause, the long-term consequences of fractures caused by osteoporosis include debilitating pain, spinal deformity, functional, and psychosocial impairments, poor pulmonary function and risk of fresh fractures.

The contemporary view in medicine is that osteoporosis is something of a lifestyle disease, too, as poor food habits and consumption of alcohol aggravate the condition. With the World Osteoporosis Day falling on October 20, experts have reiterated the need to raise awareness about how osteoporosis can be prevented.

Dr Bharat Dave, a spine surgeon and member of the association of spine surgeons of India (ASSI), said that most major osteoporotic fractures occur in the spine, wrist or the hip bones.
"During puberty and adolescence, the skeleton absorbs calcium avidly and builds up its reserves," Dave said. "The amount of calcium converted into bone is largely dependent on calcium and vitamin D nutrition, as well as exercise."

Bones continue to grow in strength till the age of 30. But from the mid-thirties, there is a gradual bone loss that continues throughout life.

Osteoporosis is not completely curable; hence its prevention is as important as its treatment. The most important prevention measures include quitting smoking, curtailing excessive intake of alcohol, exercising regularly, and consuming a balanced diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D content, Dave said.