St. Clair Health’s Dr. Walker Encourages People to Think About Their Bone Health

By Andrew Wilson

The effects of being a weekend warrior are felt during the following week. Overdo it playing or working on Saturday or Sunday, and your body lets you know come Monday morning. Muscle soreness, stiffness, or fatigue are common, but, in the midst of all the usual aches and pains, people often take their bone health for granted. 

“I think most people do take their bones for granted, but your skeletal structure is the scaffolding holding up your body,” said Shaka Walker, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with St. Clair Medical Group – Orthopedic Surgery. “Taken together, your skeleton only weighs about nine to 13 pounds, but it’s so important for walking, running, dancing, or whatever activity a person wants to do.”

Most times, the first sign that something’s wrong with our bones is when a fracture occurs, and as we age, the fracture risk increases.

“Ages 25 through 30 is peak bone health,” said Dr. Walker. “But as we age, our bones begin to weaken and there is an elevated risk of fractures.”

The risk is different for women than men. Women are at greater risk earlier – around 50 years old – as menopause begins and estrogen production decreases, but by age 80, both men and women have about the same risk of experiencing a hip fracture.

The good news is our bones can be strengthened with exercise – particularly strength training. Dr. Walker says that bone health is a direct function of Wolf’s Law, which is a principle where bones adapt to the increased load placed on them and strengthen under that load. Conversely, bones will atrophy and lose bone mass when no load is placed on them. 

“Studies have shown that older people who exercise with weights live longer,” he said. “I encourage older people to join a gym, do strength training using dumbbells. It should be a total body effort working not just the upper body, but the lower body, too, doing squats and reverse lunges.”

Dr. Walker also recommends that patients talk with their primary care physician about having a bone density test, usually around 50 years of age, which is one of the easiest and safest ways to diagnose osteoporosis. Bone density is measured using a Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, or DEXA, exam. A DEXA exam only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete and involves no special preparation. It is simply a low-level X-ray of various parts of the body, such as the spine or hips, which gives doctors some idea of the risk that someone might face of experiencing a fracture.

Like other health conditions, the risk of developing osteoporosis can be negatively affected by a number of factors, foremost among them smoking, excessive alcohol use, and an inactive lifestyle. Certain medications for either breast cancer or prostate cancer can increase a person’s risk, as will a family history of osteoporosis. However, there are steps that can be taken to improve your bone health, too.

“First, eliminate the things that can harm your bones. Stop smoking, alcohol usage, and start to exercise,” said Dr. Walker. “Eat a well-balanced diet and supplement your diet with Vitamin D and calcium. Your age matters. Are you getting enough exercise for good bone health? Not just aerobic activity, but also strength training, too.”

Above all, he recommends beginning a conversation with your primary care physician about your bone health.

“I understand how time can be limited during a typical doctor’s visit, and your physician likely has a number of things that he or she wants to talk about, but I encourage people to bring up the topic of bone health,” Dr. Walker said. “Your bones won’t tell you they are deteriorating until a fracture occurs. Your bones require attention throughout your life.”

Dr. Shaka Walker specializes in orthopedic surgery. He earned his medical degree at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at University of California, San Francisco, with subspecialty training in Sports Medicine. He later served as Chief of Orthopedic Services and Director of the Sports Injury Clinic at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. Dr. Walker is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

St. Clair Medical Group – Orthopedic Surgery, sees patients at two locations:

Dunlap Family Outpatient Center
1000 Bower Hill Road, Suite 7300
Pittsburgh, PA 15243

St. Clair Health – Peters Township Outpatient Center
3928 Washington Road, Suite 270
McMurry, PA 15317

To schedule an appointment, please call (412) 942-7262.