KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 – Persatuan Ortopedik Sandakan, with the support of IJM Land Bhd and Sabah’s Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS), recently organised a two-week campaign in Bandar Utama, Mile 6, Sandakan, to raise awareness of the musculoskeletal disease.
The campaign, held in conjunction with World Osteoporosis Day 2022, saw health care staff from Hospital Duchess of Kent (HDOK) and Klinik Kesihatan Sandakan conduct osteoporosis risk factor screening and free bone mineral density scans (supported by Sievert Imaging Center).
“Osteoporosis, often undetected in the elderly population, is also known as the silent killer. Painless but progressive, it causes bones to fracture easily and is a major cause of suffering especially in older ladies. Global statistics show that one-third of all women and a fifth of all men above 50 will develop osteoporosis.
“This can manifest as fragility fractures of the spine, hip, wrist, etc. from low energy falls such as falling on a slippery floor. The first-year death rate (mortality) after a hip fracture is as high as 30 per cent and spine fractures have an 8-fold increase in mortality,” said Dr Timothy Cheng, an orthopaedic surgeon at Hospital Duchess of Kent, Sandakan and organising chairman of the event which ran from November 12 until 27.
Dr Cheng is also president of Persatuan Ortopedik Sandakan.
The campaign also included simple physical activity and weight bearing exercises led by Biorehab and Warehouse Fitness Center as well as quizzes on balanced diets with adequate calcium intake conducted by the dietician team and Hospital Duchess of Kent Pharmacy.
The hospital blood bank also dropped by for a donation drive, Dr Cheng said.
The physiotherapy team also conducted a half day programme at the Sri Harapan Old Folks Home consisting of simple exercise movements with a talk about osteoporosis and how to prevent it.
The highlight of the programme was a physical challenge by Warehouse Fitness Center that took place over the weekend involving different categories of men and women above and below the age of 60 doing simple movements such as sit ups, burpees, squats, and farmer’s carry. Winners for each category brought home RM200 in cash and goodie bags.
A fun cycle was held on Sunday, consisting of two categories: 5km and 20km. Over 100 riders from as young as age six until above 70 participated in the event.
After a short talk on osteoporosis, its dangers and how to prevent it, the physiotherapy department of Hospital Duchess of Kent conducted a demonstration on how to use a resistance band for strength training and muscle development.
The climax of the fun cycle event was a lucky draw session, supported by Speed Electrical and Aircon Services Sdn Bhd, that saw over 40 prizes given away, including a bicycle, a TV and two hoverboards.
“We hope that this campaign has helped to create awareness of the dangers of osteoporosis and promote methods of prevention [such as] weight bearing exercises and a high calcium, vitamin D and protein diet. Till the next one,” Dr Cheng said.
Besides IJM Land and KBS, the event’s sponsors and partners were Syarikat Pengangkutan Khoon Siah, Tian Sia Sea Product, Sabah International Dairies, TKS Superstore, KDH Pharmacy, Sievert Imaging Center, MU Superstore, Bataras Hypermarket and K2/Tritonic.
