Osteomalacia is a disease that softens bones, causing pain, muscle weakness, and eventual deformation. It can be detected on diagnostic images and is caused by a lack of mineralization. Rickets is a more severe form in children caused by a lack of vitamin D.
Osteomalacia, derived from the Latin words for soft bone, can be asymptomatic in the early stages. Even when osteomalacia symptoms aren’t obvious, the condition can be detected on diagnostic images of the bones. The disease is characterized by a lack of mineralization, leading to a softening and eventual deformation of the bones. Painful bones, muscle weakness, and fractures occur as the condition progresses.
The most common symptoms of osteomalacia are pain in the bones, particularly those in the lower back, hips, legs and feet as these feel the most pressure when standing or sitting. These pains occur equally on both sides of the body and cause a constant pain sensation. The pain gets worse during activities or when pressure is placed on the bones. Muscle weakness and loss of tone in the arms and legs usually occur when bones become weak. This makes daily physical activities both difficult and painful.
Eventually, the softened bones become deformed. Pressure and gravity cause bones to bend and lose their original shape. The long bones of the legs support the weight of the body, and their softened flexibility causes them to curve. Problems with teeth can result from softening of the skull and jaw bones. The chest bones may also lose their shape and begin to lean forward. Decreased growth is commonly seen in children with softened bones.
Weakened bones become susceptible to fracture in the later stages of this disease. This can occur even with very minor pressure or injury and is one of the more serious symptoms of osteomalacia. Some of the pain and stiffness is due to small fractures in the skeletal bones that can be detected with medical imaging. Other symptoms of osteomalacia are associated with the body’s inability to absorb calcium properly. These include tingling sensations in the hands and feet, muscle tics, and abnormal heart rhythms.
Rickets is a generally more severe form of bone softening found in children who lack vitamin D. This vitamin is needed for the body to absorb and use calcium, an important component of bones. Osteomalacia usually refers to the same lack of bone mineralization in adults. The most commonly recognized sign of rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults is bowing of the leg bones. This is due to the inability of softened bones to hold their shape when loaded with weight.
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