When you think of a person with their arm in a cast, chances are you envision a pre-teen boy who hurt himself pulling a risky stunt while, say, skateboarding or climbing a tree. However, you may be seeing more of your peers donning a splint. Half of the arm breaks treated in ER were for proximal humerus fractures, or injuries near the top of the bone that are often linked to falls—and the highest number of these breaks have been seen in men and women age 45 and older, according to a new study in Arthritis Care & Research. Compared to men, women were more than twice as likely to have this type of break—probably because they are also more prone to osteoporosis. A loss of bone density makes you more susceptible to breaks, and we lose bone density as we age. So it may be no surprise that the number of people visiting the ER for a broken arm could rise by nearly a third by 2030, when the youngest Baby Boomer turns 65. Almost 39 million Americans were 65 or older in 2008, but that number will rise to almost 72 million by 2030. There are plenty of things you can do to help prevent a broken arm, including practicing important home safety measures such as clearing clutter that could cause you to trip and installing night lights to make it easier to see when darkness falls. Protecting your bones also helps prevent breaks. Try taking calcium and vitamin D supplements, doing weight-bearing exercises, and practicing yoga to keep your skeleton healthy for the long haul.
