Osteoarthritis: Not Just For Women

By David Bjerklie

What men don't know about osteoporosis can hurt them. This crippling disease is a lot more common in males than is realized by most men--and their physicians. The National Osteoporosis Foundation says 1 in 8 men will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture sometime in their lives. In fact, men over 50 are at greater risk for such a fracture than they are for prostate cancer.

The best way to diagnose the problem is a bone-density test. And while it isn't necessary--or even practical--to screen every man 50 or older, those at highest risk should be tested, says Dr. Clifford Rosen of the Maine Center for Osteoporosis Research and Education. Among the signs to watch for: a fracture suffered as an adult, unexplained back pain and the loss of 2 in. or more in height. Also at risk are men with a family history of osteoporosis or a personal history of alcoholism, kidney stones, or treatment with cortisone or prednisone for such chronic conditions as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. --D.B.