Osteoporosis

Symptoms of osteoporosis occur primarily due to the results of bone fractures. The most common locations for such fractures are those bones that should normally have the highest turnover rate of resorption-formation. The wrist is one such location, and a characteristic fracture of the wrist due to osteoporosis is known as a Colle's fracture.

The vertebrae normally also have a high bone turnover rate, and osteoporosis frequently manifests itself by compression fractures of the vertebrae. These fractures can occur after seemingly normal activity, including sneezing or bending/twisting to pick up a relatively light object. This can be asymptomatic for the patient, or can result in back pain. Either way, the patient's vertebrae are compressed down on themselves, and the patient actually loses height. The hunchback appearance of many elderly women (sometimes referred to as dowager's or widow's hump) is due to this effect of osteoporosis on the vertebrae.

The hip (specifically the bone called the femur) is another extremely common location for an osteoporotic fracture. In fact, while it was initially thought that an individual falling resulted in a broken femur, it now believed that some femur fractures occur somewhat spontaneously, and the already broken hip then causes the individual to fall.