Crofton Office

1657 Crofton Blvd, Suite 201

Crofton, MD 21114

(410) 721-4505

(410) 721-2394

Woodbridge Office

14010 Smoketown Rd., Suite 103

Woodbridge, VA 22192

(703) 583-5959

(703) 890-4970

Chantilly Office

3914 Centreville Road, Suite 200

Chantilly, VA 20151

(703) 490-5599

(703) 583-5995

Sterling Office

46440 Benedict Dr., Suite 111

Sterling, VA 20164

(703) 444-9555

How Osteoporosis Can Affect Your Feet

Did you know that osteoporosis can affect people as early as 50 years old? Did you know that it tends to affect women more than men? Did you know that it can affect bones in all parts of the body? And did you know that you can do something about it now?

Well now you know.

Depending on diet, exercise, hereditary traits, smoking habits, and hormonal changes, osteoporosis can have different ages of onset. The bones in your body slowly begin to lose more calcium than it absorbs, and at some point, can become so weak and brittle that the smallest injuries can lead to fractures or completely broken bones (think broken hips from a fall). Oftentimes, there are no obvious and easily detectable signs of osteoporosis. That’s why some patients get diagnosed with osteoporosis only after they experience a fracture in their feet from a seemingly harmless activity or injury. Don’t forget, your feet have 26 bones each, and have to carry your whole body around all the time.

While there are treatments available, your risk of fracture and broken bones is still going to be higher than if you hadn’t developed osteoporosis in the first place. That’s why it’s important to take steps to prevent weakening bones, sooner rather than later.

It starts with nutrition. Post Thanksgiving feast and before New Year’s celebrations  may be a good time to think about your daily food habits. In particular, are you incorporating enough sources of calcium and getting enough sunshine for vitamin D? You need the vitamin D to absorb calcium into your bones. Additionally, you may want to re-evaluate a diet that is high in salt (including processed foods and TV dinners), soda drinks with phosphoric acid (which replaces the calcium in our bones), and excessive amounts of caffeine.

It’s important to strength train. While you may already know that regular physical activity is important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, your bones will benefit even more if you incorporate strength-training exercises. It helps to solidify your bones for higher density (which means it’s less porous, and less likely to crack).

Does osteoporosis run in your family? Are you worried about your foot health? Consult with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry. Make an appointment by calling (410) 721-4505 to receive a thorough assessment. Our dedicated team is ready to help you at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding areas in Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD.

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Office Hours

(We have new hours as below!)

Crofton Podiatry

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-3:30 pm

Friday:

By Appointment Only

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed