What is bone density and why it’s important to have yours checked

I was born with dislocated hips and two years ago had a hip replacement as a result of the numerous surgeries I have had from the dislocation. Bone health has always been a concern of mine, more so since I cut dairy out of my diet about 9 years ago.

I recently took part in the Caltrate Bone Awareness Project, where I went for a Pfizer-sponsored bone density scan to figure out just how healthy (or unhealthy) my bones were because I would rather know sooner than later if there was an issue.

What exactly is bone density? 

“Bone density (or bone mineral density) is a medical term normally referring to the amount of mineral matter per square centimeter of bones. Bone density (or BMD) is used in clinical medicine as an indirect indicator of osteoporosis and fracture risk.”

The doctor who conducted my scan explained that they can see from the bone density scan, if your bones are weak, which then put you at a higher risk of breaking a hip if you fall, for example. Typically when you hear something like that you assume that it is something that older women need to have done but this is not the case. Women start losing bone mass from around 35 years of age, so it is something that we should all put on our radars to have done.

So what does the scan entail?

It is actually a really quick and easy process. It is basically just a scan of your bones. So you lie on bed and the scan moves up and down as it scans your hips and generally your back. Because I have had a back op, they scanned by wrist as well so that they could get an accurate reading. The scan is not sore or invasive in anyway and was over in about 10 minutes.

My results all came back normal which I think is the first scan/test I have ever “passed” in relation to my bones but I will keep doing the scans to make sure it stays this way. #loveyourbones

There are ways to slow down bone mass loss. The clinic sister mentioned foods I can incorporate into my diet like broccoli and nuts that are rich in calcium. There are also great calcium supplements – look for a calcium supplement that contains Vitamin D, as this aids calcium absorption. Some products also have added minerals that help to make your bones more flexible.

Try this calcium calculator to see where you stand.