Brittle bones

Brittle bones - Bones with an increased tendency to fracture. They are a feature of osteoporosis and may occur in people who are taking corticosteroid drugs, are immobile, or have certain hormonal disorders. In osteomalacia, the bones are soft and have an increased tendency both to become deformed and to fracture.

The inherited disorder osteogenesis imperfecta is a rare cause of brittle bones and frequent fractures and is usually detected in infancy.