Fractures & Metabolic Bone Disease

Metabolic bone disease is a general name for several disorders caused by abnormalities in the body's normal process of bone production. Individuals with these disorders may experience an increased risk of bone fractures.

The Facts

• In normal bone production, cells called osteoblasts and osteoclasts regularly build up and break down bone tissue in children and adults, reports Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics. Alterations in these cells' activities can trigger metabolic bone disease.

Osteoporosis

• Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics identifies osteoporosis as the most common form of metabolic bone disease. Roughly 40 percent of women aged 50 will develop a fracture from osteoporosis in their remaining lifespan.

Paget's Disease

• Paget's disease affects the rate at which bone tissue in the body is broken down and rebuilt, reports the Mayo Clinic. Some individuals with Paget's disease develop fractures as a symptom of their condition.

Rickets

• Softening and weakening of the bones from rickets can also trigger bone fracture, notes the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This condition typically results from dietary lack of calcium, phosphate or vitamin D.

Renal Osteodystrophy

• Kidney malfunctions can trigger a metabolic bone disease called renal osteodystrophy, notes Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics. In its later stages, this disorder can cause fractures in the pelvis, hips or ribs.