Osteoporosis is a long-term disease. In EU area, approximately 22 million women and 5,5 million men are estimated to have osteoporosis. This causes remarkable costs and individual tragedies. The patients are often left alone with this disease. The role of increasing support for self-management is crucial in preventing fractures and helping to cope and recover with osteoporosis.
Especially the treatment costs of hip fractures are huge. E.g. in Finland the annual cost of one hip fracture is estimated to be 23 079 €. With the same amount of euros, over 70 group infos for over 1400 rehabilitees could be arranged – or about 50 individual on-line coaching courses with individual meetings. These both can create effective processes for self-management and cutting down the costs.
In Finland the in-house rehabilitation of osteoporosis patients has been suspended in the beginning of year 2016. Movendos on-line coaching tool was honoured to be part of the first osteoporosis on-line coaching course, which was arranged last year with good results by the Finnish Osteoporosis Association.
Not many people know, that the bones are renewing during ten years, so self-treatment can truly affect bone health. Therefore it’s never too late to improve nutrition – enough D-vitamin, calcium and protein – or to increase daily activities and sports. This all can be done by changing small daily habits.
