Ageing bone and osteoporosis

In this video, Professor Eugene McCloskey from the University of Sheffield discusses how bones change with age and a common age-related bone condition, osteoporosis.

Bone strength decreases with age and significantly lower bone density places individuals at higher risk of breaking (fracture) under stress that healthy bone could withstand. Osteoporosis is a condition in which low bone strength leaves the bone framework brittle and susceptible to fracture.

In the UK’s ageing population, osteoporosis is a significant cause of fractures resulting in hospital admission (over 70,000 cases per year), costing the NHS £1.7million annually and hip fractures are a leading cause of early death.