Please verify your email address to receive email notifications.

Enter your email address

We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder.

Unable to send verification, please refresh and try again later.

  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Is it normal to lose height if I have osteoporosis?

    Related Topic
    Osteoporosis & Bone Health
    I have already lost half an inch this past year! Is this normal? Anything I can do to prevent shrinking further?
    • 1 answer
    • Dr David Fairclough
    answer this question

  • Find a professional to answer your question

  • 1

    Thanks

    Dr David Fairclough

    Osteopath

    It is normal to loose some height with osteoporosis.  The reason being mainly in the spine.  With osteoporosis there is a flattening of the chunky flat portion of the vertebrae known as the vertebral body.  This is due to compressive forces on these bodies while they are in a weaker state.  The bodies not only flattend but they are mishapen into a wedge which increases the kyphosis or hump part or the back between the shoulder blades.  This obviously decreases the height of the osteoporotic spine with 5 cervical, 12 thoracic and 5 lumbar vertebrae even a fraction of shortening to each segment will give overall significant in height.

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
answer this question

You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up .

You may also like these related questions

Related Fact Sheets
Related Questions

Empowering Australians to make better health choices