Male osteoporosis: Clinical approach and management in family practice

Abstract

You were surprised to find Mr Roger Lee struggling into your polyclinic consultation room. Although he is 85 years old, Roger has always been healthy and spirited. That morning, he had slipped on the wet floor of his toilet at home and was now experiencing severe, persistent pain on his lower back. You performed an X-ray, which showed a compression fracture at the 4th lumbar vertebra. Roger wished to know why his 'simple' fall would result in a fracture.