Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooOsteomalacia

Osteomalacia is a softening of the bones, which is usually the result of not having enough vitamin D or calcium (NHS, 2025; MedlinePlus, 2026). In children, the condition is called rickets. Soft bones tend to be more prone to bowing and breaking than bones that are harder and healthier. Osteomalacia isn't the same as osteoporosis, which is another bone disorder that can lead to broken bones. Osteomalacia results from problems in the process of building bone, while osteoporosis develops from a weakening of bone that was previously built.

The literal meaning of osteomalacia is bone softening (osteo = bone, malacia = softening, in Greek).

The main symptoms are bone pain (in the back, shoulders, ribs, pelvis or legs) and muscle weakness, such as difficulty climbing stairs or getting out of a chair. Other symptoms include changes in the way you walk, tingling, cramping or twitching of the muscles, and breaking bones more easily (NHS, 2025). Treating the condition involves topping up low levels of vitamin D and calcium, as well as treating any underlying condition that might be causing the problem (NHS, 2025).

Osteomalacia Causes

How to Treat Osteomalacia

Tips

• Sunlight is one of the most natural sources of vitamin D. The NHS suggests trying to get outside in the sun without sunscreen for 15 minutes 2 or 3 times a week between late March and September (possibly more often if you have brown or black skin), while spending time in the shade between 11am and 3pm when the sun is strongest (NHS, 2025).
• Eat foods that contain vitamin D, such as oily fish (salmon, sardines, trout, herring or mackerel), red meat and egg yolks, and fortified foods such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals. In the UK, cows' milk is generally not fortified with vitamin D (NHS, 2020).
• The NHS advises that everyone should consider a daily vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter, and that people who are rarely outdoors, usually cover most of their skin, or have darker skin should consider one all year round (NHS, 2020). (This medicine information comes from the NHS, not from me. Always check with a pharmacist or your family doctor or nurse practitioner before taking any medicine.)
• If you have a medical condition that affects how your digestive system absorbs nutrients, ask your family doctor or nurse practitioner whether you need calcium or vitamin D supplements.
• If you have the condition, you are more prone to broken bones, especially in the hips, lower back and feet (NHS, 2025).
• Certain medicines used to treat seizures are known to cause osteomalacia (MedlinePlus, 2026).

Osteomalacia is treated by your doctor, by topping up vitamin D and calcium and treating any underlying cause. I don't advise on supplements, but alongside that treatment I can help with the bone aches, muscle weakness, cramps and changes in walking that can come with it. Softened bones break more easily, so I keep treatment gentle.

Please bring any X-ray or scan reports and notes from your medical team to your first visit. They're an important part of planning safe treatment for you.

I ask about your symptoms and any broken bones, and assess your posture, walking, balance and strength.

Hands-On Care

• Gentle massage for aching and cramping muscles, with comfortable pressure and plenty of support
• No forceful stretching or joint work, and no firm pressure over painful bones
• Warm applications in the clinic for tight muscles

Strength and Balance

1. NHS (2025) Rickets and osteomalacia. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/rickets-and-osteomalacia/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
2. MedlinePlus / National Library of Medicine (2026) Osteomalacia. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000376.htm (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
3. NHS (2020) Vitamin D. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).