OSTEOPOROSIS: Your Head Start to the Prevention of Fractures

The physician's point of view on this hot topic (see Hausman and Smith, below)-- rife with medical lingo and firmly focused on problems rather than prevention. Fardon (Free Yourself from Neck Pain, Free Yourself from Back Pain) is correct in pointing out that osteoporosis is a real, widespread problem that has been too long ignored--especially since it is largely preventable through self-help measures. ""Now,"" as he sees it, ""orthopedic rounds consists of walking down the halls past one after another little, old, white woman. Each one is hunched over, hopping along on her walker to protect a broken hip"": all victims of osteoporosis. Fardon has obvious trouble surpressing his practitioner's viewpoint, and also his practitioner's jargon (""Single photon absorptiometry, often called photo-densitometry is not available everywhere. . ."") and lecturing tone (""do not allow a wrist fracture to interfere with normal function any more than absolutely necessary""), He explains the diagnosis of osteoporosis (in greater detail than necessary), health problems associated with the disease (""menopause"" and ""pregnancy and motherhood"" among them), and treatment for the disease, for broken bones and other manifestations. Prevention through nutrition and exercise is briefly examined. Since this is a disease in which prevention is the watchword, readers will do far better with a sound self-help guide--Hausman's is the standout.