Dr. Vonda Wright

When you get a DEXA scan score and it's positive, fantastic. You have bones of a 30-year-old. If you get a T-score on a DEXA scan that's from zero to minus one, it's okay. Minus one is the definition of osteopenia, meaning watch out, your bones are getting weak. The definition of osteoporosis is a T-score of minus 2.5. Increases your risk of fracture by 40% or more.

When you get a DEXA scan score and it's positive, fantastic. You have bones of a 30-year-old. If you get a T-score on a DEXA scan that's from zero to minus one, it's okay. Minus one is the definition of osteopenia, meaning watch out, your bones are getting weak. The definition of osteoporosis is a T-score of minus 2.5. Increases your risk of fracture by 40% or more.

All the bad statistics that I talked to you about come with osteoporosis.

All the bad statistics that I talked to you about come with osteoporosis.

Well, 2 million men have osteoporosis. Interestingly, isn't that interesting? You don't think about it as a men's disease. And one in two women will have an osteoporotic fracture, so at least 50% of women. But it's not inevitable. That's why I'm so interested in in catching people early and the critical decade. It's not inevitable, but it will be inevitable if we don't catch it.

Well, 2 million men have osteoporosis. Interestingly, isn't that interesting? You don't think about it as a men's disease. And one in two women will have an osteoporotic fracture, so at least 50% of women. But it's not inevitable. That's why I'm so interested in in catching people early and the critical decade. It's not inevitable, but it will be inevitable if we don't catch it.

But here's the thing that's bothersome. In the United States and in many other countries with people I deal with, you cannot get a DEXA scan paid for until you're 65. By 65, the damage is done. Why are we waiting? Even with people who have had a fracture, there's a gap in follow-up such that they should all

But here's the thing that's bothersome. In the United States and in many other countries with people I deal with, you cannot get a DEXA scan paid for until you're 65. By 65, the damage is done. Why are we waiting? Even with people who have had a fracture, there's a gap in follow-up such that they should all

Have a DEXA scan because the number one thing that predicts future fracture is past fracture. So public service announcement, if you've had a fracture, get a DEXA scan, even if it was a traumatic one, like you had made a car accident. But definitely, if you have fallen, if your dog pulled you down, if it was a low trauma fracture, get a DEXA scan because then at least you'll know where you are.

Have a DEXA scan because the number one thing that predicts future fracture is past fracture. So public service announcement, if you've had a fracture, get a DEXA scan, even if it was a traumatic one, like you had made a car accident. But definitely, if you have fallen, if your dog pulled you down, if it was a low trauma fracture, get a DEXA scan because then at least you'll know where you are.

and can then plan a course for building your bone.

and can then plan a course for building your bone.

You know, I think you can get clues from your own family.

You know, I think you can get clues from your own family.

If your mother shrank... If you used to be able to look your mother in the eye, like me, my mother looked me in the eye 5'4", and now she's way down here, we lose height in both men and women due to compression of her spine vertebrae. We lose height. So if your dad shrank, if your mother shrank, that's a good indication that you have a family history where osteoporosis can exist.

If your mother shrank... If you used to be able to look your mother in the eye, like me, my mother looked me in the eye 5'4", and now she's way down here, we lose height in both men and women due to compression of her spine vertebrae. We lose height. So if your dad shrank, if your mother shrank, that's a good indication that you have a family history where osteoporosis can exist.

Or if your mother had a hip fracture. Or if... For some reason, maybe asthma, you've had to be on high dose steroids your whole life or an autoimmune. That's very bad for bones. So from a medical standpoint, from a family history standpoint, from a personal standpoint, usually fracture.

Or if your mother had a hip fracture. Or if... For some reason, maybe asthma, you've had to be on high dose steroids your whole life or an autoimmune. That's very bad for bones. So from a medical standpoint, from a family history standpoint, from a personal standpoint, usually fracture.

Yeah, I'm really glad you asked that. Smoking is a poison to bone healing, whether it is fracture will heal more slowly. In fact, we have a much higher rate of nonunion, which is where we fix a fracture and it still doesn't heal in smokers. We know that there is a big body of data within the orthopedic literature for people who have spine surgery who are smokers.

Yeah, I'm really glad you asked that. Smoking is a poison to bone healing, whether it is fracture will heal more slowly. In fact, we have a much higher rate of nonunion, which is where we fix a fracture and it still doesn't heal in smokers. We know that there is a big body of data within the orthopedic literature for people who have spine surgery who are smokers.