Become a Member

Osteoporosis is a lifestyle disease and prevention is the best cure. No state funding is provided for the vital preventative work. The Foundation therefore depends on the generosity of support from the private and corporate sectors to make a noise and educate.

Join our Support Group

This group has been founded by the National Osteoporosis Foundation of South Africa to support our members and those interested in osteoporosis care. We support each other on the page through interesting posts, constructive commentary and support.

Donate

Osteoporosis is a systemic disease that causes the skeleton to become porous and brittle and this can lead to fractures of the forearm, spine and hip. One in three women and one in five men will develop a fracture as a result of osteoporosis.

EVENTS

SUPPORT GROUP

NOFSA – National Osteoporosis Foundation of South Africa

Osteoporosis is a disease in which the density and quality of bones are reduced, leading to weakness of the skeleton and increased risk of fracture, particularly of the spine, wrists, hip, pelvis and upper arms. In many affected people, bone loss is gradual and without warning signs until the disease is advanced. It can result in extreme pain and in severe cases even death.

Osteoporosis is also known as “the silent crippler” because a person usually doesn’t know that they have it until it’s too late. Unfortunately, in many cases, the first real “symptom” is a broken bone. In South Africa, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will possibly develop this disease within their lifetime – which means potentially between 4 and 6 million South Africans suffer from Osteoporosis.

There are many misconceptions about osteoporosis, for example that it is “an old woman’s disease”. In fact, bone loss in women can begin as early as the age of 25. Furthermore, new studies have shown the prevalence of osteoporosis in men is higher than previously thought with approximately one in five men affected.

IOF Global Patient Charter

Osteoporosis remains severely underdiagnosed and undertreated!

Sponsors and Licensees

Thank you to all our sponsors and licensees for their commitment to bone health.

Risk, prevention and diagnosis

Find out everything you need to know about risk factors, diagnosis and treatments.

Donate to the National Osteoporosis Foundation of South Africa

Case Studies

Mar 17, 2021

BREAKING BONES, FRACTURING FAITH, OVERCOMING OSTEOPOROSIS.

by Mickie Jacobs Born to be active It is 1964 in Birmingham, England. Picture a young girl of 11 ½. She has just reached puberty; she is about to start secondary school. She is around 157 cms tall (or 5ft 2ins as this is England) and probably around 50 kg or 8...

Aug 31, 2020

RUNNING YOUR DREAM

She is flying downhill, feeling fantastic and thinking she is really going to do this. She has only 20 km’s left in a race that she has been training for and dreaming about for a year – the coveted Comrades Marathon. She looks over and sees him, her lover and her...

Jul 9, 2020

OSTEOPOROSIS CASE STUDY: BETTIE CILLIERS (SOUTH AFRICA)

Whether you are already diagnosed with osteoporosis or you are unaware you are at risk, a fracture may well become a reality – sometimes caused by a simple misadventure that in a younger, stronger boned person would not cause a problem. Rehabilitating a fracture,...

Latest News

Our Sponsors

adcock-ingram
amgen
ascendis
clover-nolac
cipla
menacal
pharma-dynamics
radical
vertec