You know your HIV viral load but do you know how strong your bones are?
No matter what your age, you can find information here about how to monitor and maintain healthy, strong bones and prevent the onset of osteoporosis, a condition where bones are thin and weak.
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HIV affects each person differently and it can impact bone health. For some people there may be an increased risk of developing osteoporosis (weak, thinner bones), although living with HIV does not necessarily mean you will go on to develop the condition.
The good news is there are tests available to monitor how strong your bones are, as well as information to help you to make choices to keep your bones as healthy as possible. Regardless of HIV status, anyone can develop osteoporosis.
Talk to your healthcare team about:
Become familiar with your test results to monitor your bone health.
There is no simple answer as HIV can affect each person differently, but studies suggest that up to 67% of people living with HIV have weak bones (low bone mineral density/thinning bones) and 15% have osteoporosis.
The good news is that its progress can be slowed and in some cases bone density can be improved to reverse thinning to some degree.
There are lifestyle changes you can make to help your bones stay healthy, such as:
What else can help?
There are also medications available for some people to reduce the risk of broken bones, talk to your healthcare team for more information. These medicines can:
What type of exercise is better to maintain strong bones?
Climbing stairs is classed as a weight bearing exercise, which is good for your bones, along with running and walking. These are exercises that you do on your feet so that your bones and muscles have to work against gravity to keep you upright. Examples of non-weight bearing exercises include cycling and swimming.
Climbing stairs is classed as a weight bearing exercise, which is good for your bones, along with running and walking. These are exercises that you do on your feet so that your bones and muscles have to work against gravity to keep you upright. Examples of non-weight bearing exercises include cycling and swimming.
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