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Keeping Women's Bones Strong Goal Of Library's Osteoporosis Screening
By Keith Hagarty
Determining who is at risk for osteoporosis is as easy as placing your bare foot in a small machine for 10 seconds. The painless test was part of the free osteoporosis screening for women held this week at the Jackson branch of the Ocean County Library.
Joan Goodwin, a technician from Community Medial Center in Toms River, has been conducting the free screenings for over 3,500 women throughout Ocean County for three years. The free screening was made possible through a grant from Robert Wood Johnson Hospital, in New Brunswick.
"I've been to all of the libraries, senior health fairs, I was just up at the Ritacco Center (in Toms River) last week doing screenings, and so many of the senior villages," said Goodwin. "Whenever there is something for the seniors going on, I'm there."
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile, becoming highly prone to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine, and wrist. The disease affects 80 percent of women, and only 20 percent of men.
"It's a great opportunity to go into the field and screen women," Goodwin said of the free screening. "It's a very good chance to show them- especially since there's a lot of people who can't really get out and have a test like this- it's great that it's available to the seniors. If we do find something in your foot, then it's a great warning tool because it will tell them that they need to see their doctor for further checkups."
Goodwin gave a virtual tour of the radiation-free, ultrasound Sahara Clinical Bone Sonometer. The small device, about the size of a computer printer, measures bone strength and predicts fracture risk. The device uses ultrasound to get a clear picture of their heels' bone density.
The device transmits sound waves through the heel for about 10 seconds. The more dense your bone, the healthier it is, and the longer it takes for sound waves to pass through, according to Goodwin.
"The problem with osteoporosis is often times, you really don't even know you have it until you break a bone," she warned. "This is a good warning tool because it will let you know."
The device then prints a numbers report of the participant's bone density, with results determining that if the measurement is below a certain value, it could indicate a thinning of the bones consistent with osteoporosis.
"What's good about it is you get your results right away," said Goodwin. "It gives you the range that you're in, and also if it does show something in your foot, then we recommend the patients to get the bone density scan done."
For participants whose bone density appeared to be thinning, Goodwin recommended they make an appointment at a facility such as Community Medical Center and arrange to have testing done on a more comprehensive, full body Dexa scanner.
"That's the bigger x-ray, where you would lie down on a table and the x-ray goes over your hips and spine," she said.
In addition to the testing, the free screening also provides a good opportunity for Goodwin to promote osteoporosis prevention and simple things women can do each day to fend off the disease.
"They need to know whether they need to get more calcium in their diet," said Goodwin. "But exercising is the biggest thing. Light-weight bearing exercises really does help build back bones … Anything that builds up your muscles to protect your bones from breaking is really the best thing."
While the ages of the women participants attending her screenings tends to range from 40 years old and up, Goodwin said she's also had some surprising ones.
"I've even done a 103-year-old," she said. "I was shocked. I've done a lot of 100-year-olds, which amazes me, and there was quite a few of them who were perfectly fine with nothing wrong with their bones."
Using the Sahara Clinical Bone Sonometer has been a thoroughly efficient timesaver, which the participants always seem to appreciate, said Goodwin.
"It works great," she said. "It's only about two minutes of their time, and they're done.
"A lot of them are surprised how quick and easy it is," said Goodwin. "Although a lot of them do wish it was a foot spa, but I have to tell them, no it's not, otherwise my foot would be in it all day."
Being able to promote women's health issues and try to detect a problem before it becomes a crisis has been a rewarding experience for Goodwin.
"It's all about education. The more they know about it, the better," she said. "It feels great because I have caught many, many women who had no idea they even had osteoporosis, and were able to get treatment before it was too late."
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