If you are concerned about osteoporosis or have recently experienced a fracture with little or no trauma, we can help.

Experts in MU Health Care’s Bone Health Program can help assess your risk of osteoporosis, or weakened bones. Our goal is to optimize your bone health for your overall quality of life and help you avoid future fractures.

Our Approach to Bone Health

With MU Health Care’s Bone Health Program, we help you build and maintain strong bones — before and after injuries or surgery. 

Experts in our outpatient program can help you keep your bones as strong as possible. We’ll work with you to treat and prevent potentially painful and debilitating fractures related to osteoporosis. 

We can also care for you if you are hospitalized after a low-impact fracture. Our fracture liaison service works closely with our orthopaedic providers to understand and care for any underlying causes of your fracture. 

We can also help strengthen your bones before an orthopaedic surgery, which can help improve your healing and recovery.

Why is Bone Health important?

Strong bones support your body and allow you to move. Bones protect your organs from injury and store vital minerals you need to live. Weak bones can break and cause pain, leading to difficulty walking without assistance. Bones begin to weaken early in life without the right diet and exercise, and many people have weak bones without knowing it. This is a disease called osteoporosis, which can lead to bones breaking with little or no trauma causing pain. These broken bones are known as fragility fractures. Osteoporosis is a "silent disease," so bones can thin and become more brittle without you knowing it. Studies suggest that about half of women and 25% of men 50 and older will have a broken bone related to osteoporosis.

Should I See a Bone Health Specialist?

Osteoporosis often has no symptoms until a bone breaks. Fragility fractures can happen from simple falls — or no injury at all. 

We offer a quick, eight-question assessment to help you learn your risk for osteoporosis and fractures.

BONE HEALTH ASSESSMENT

Conditions We Treat

Elbow Pain

Foot and Ankle Pain

Hand and Wrist Pain

Hip Pain

Knee Pain

Shoulder Pain

Osteopenia (loss of bone density)

Osteoporosis

Pelvic fracture

Bone Health Tests

We use a combination of methods to evaluate your current bone health. These may include:

• Bone density (DXA) scan: These imaging tests can confirm a diagnosis of osteoporosis and show the severity of your bone loss.
• Medical history: We will ask questions to assess your bone health and risk for osteoporosis. We’ll also ask about your medications, because some can raise your risk for fractures.
• Physical examination: We will examine your bones, especially your spine. For example, if you’ve lost height, it could be a sign you’ve had a fragility fracture in your spine.
• Lab tests: We’ll order blood tests that measure bone formation, such as bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (bone ALP or BALP) or osteocalcin. We may also order a urine test to check for bone loss.
• X-rays: An X-ray can help us determine if you’ve had any fragility fractures.

Bone Health Treatments

We will design a personalized treatment plan to improve your bone health. This may include:

• Medications: We will discuss the pros and cons of medications and answer any questions you have. Some common treatments for osteoporosis include injections or replacement therapies.
• Nutrition: Our nutritionists can recommend dietary changes to improve your bone health. They can also discuss calcium and vitamin D supplements and how to take them.
• Physical therapy: PT can help improve your strength and mobility to reduce your risk of future fractures. Our expert physical therapists can also help you get stronger before an orthopaedic surgery.

Pelvic Fracture Treatment and Prevention

Pelvic fractures related to osteoporosis are a common problem in people older than 60. Bed rest is often the first treatment, but you may still have pain months or years after the break. 

New surgical advances available at MU Health Care allow us to repair pelvic fractures in older people. Using specially designed surgical screws, we can repair broken bone and help you regain lost function. Such advances are one reason why we have received International Geriatric Fracture Society CORE certification for our fracture care program. 

Nonsurgical options include physical therapy and occupational therapy, and education to prevent future fractures.

Why Choose MU Health Care for Bone Health

• Designated Center of Excellence: MU Health Care has received the Orthopedic and Spine Center of Excellence designation from DNV. MU Health is the only system in Missouri and one of only 11 in the country to receive this designation.
• Expertise in pelvic fracture prevention: Pelvic fractures can be debilitating. If you have had a previous pelvic fracture, we can help you devise a plan to reduce your future risks. We specialize in helping women and men older than 60 lower their risk of future fractures.
• Advanced care for orthopaedic trauma: If your pelvic fracture was caused by a traumatic injury, we offer an expert orthopaedic trauma team. Using advanced surgical tools and techniques, we can repair bones and restore function.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 573-882-3729.