Bone Health Clinic

What is the Bone Health Clinic (BHC)?

The BHC is an extension of care for patients who have sustained a fragility fracture secondary to osteopenia or osteoporosis. This specialized care provides evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment to reduce the risk of future fractures. While each patient’s care plan will differ based on their needs, common components of comprehensive post-fracture care include:

Proper diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia
Risk factor assessment
Optimization of calcium & vitamin D intake
Physical activity counseling
Lifestyle counseling
Medication therapy
Imaging & bloodwork

Patients who have utilized the BHC have been successful in increasing strength and structure of bone, which decreases chances of additional fractures.

What are Osteoporosis and Osteopenia?

Osteoporosis, meaning “porous bone”, is a bone disease that occurs when individuals lose too much bone tissue, causing them to become weak and more susceptible to fragility fractures that result from minor falls and other simple actions. Osteoporosis can also cause loss of height, resulting in stooped or slumped posture. Such changes are often the first signs of osteoporosis.

Osteopenia is a condition in which an individual has low bone mass, resulting in weaker bones that are potentially more likely to break. Those with osteopenia have lower bone density than expected, but not severe enough to be classified as osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis and osteopenia affect about 52 million Americans.

1 in 2 women and 1 and 4 men over the age of 50 break a bone due to osteoporosis.

Fragility fractures due to osteoporosis and osteopenia have a serious impact on your health and independence, often resulting in long-term disability and chronic pain. But 50% of osteoporosis-related repeat fractures can be prevented.

Who’s at risk?

Men and women over age 50, women more so than men
Those with a family history of osteoporosis
Anyone with low body weight/who is small and thin
Those who do not get enough calcium and vitamin D, and who do not eat enough fruits and vegetables
Those who have too much protein, sodium, caffeine, or alcohol
Those who live an inactive lifestyle
Smokers

What to expect at your visit

Your initial visit will be scheduled when you follow up with your orthopedic surgeon as an outpatient. You will see the BHC provider on a different day than your orthopedic surgeon. At the initial visit, we will ask about your history of fractures, family history, and medication use. This helps us determine what testing needs to be completed and gives us an opportunity to present additional information about osteoporosis.

If needed, follow-up appointments will be made to discuss treatment options and answer any questions you may have. Your BHC provider will serve as your contact in the process of restoring bone strength and reducing your risk of another break.

The BHC Team