Could you be at risk of osteoporosis and fractures?
- Are you 60 years old or older? Yes / No
- Have you broken a bone after the age of 50? Yes / No
- Are you underweight i.e. BMI < 19? Yes / No
- After the age of 40, have you lost more than 4 cm in height? Yes / No / I don’t know
- Have either of your parents had a hip fracture? Yes / No
- Do you have any of the following disorders?
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Digestive tract disease
- Prostate or breast cancer
- Diabetes
- Chronic kidney disease
- Hyper or hypothyroidism
- Chronic lung disease
- Low testosterone
- Early menopause
- Immobility
- Have you been treated with long-term steroid or thyroid hormone? Yes / No
- Do you drink excessive amounts of alcohol (more than 3 units a day) and/or currently smoke? Yes / No
If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions, you may have risk factors for osteoporosis and fractures. You can discuss the status of your bone health with your doctor.
Dr Tony Setiobudi is an Orthopaedic & Spine Surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospital (Orchard), Singapore. He treats bone, joint, muscle and ligament problems in adults and children. He has a special interest in nerve compression and spine problems such as back & neck pain, scoliosis, kyphosis, spine tumor & infection, spinal cord injury, osteoporosis fracture, spinal stenosis and slipped disc.
