New online test calculates osteoporosis risk for men, women

I have something for you to try out today! Saw this article on KABC-TV.com (Los Angeles ABC affiliate) about an online tool you can use to assess your risk for osteoporosis. We hear an awful lot about it affecting women as they age, but men also get osteoporosis, and if they fracture a hip, they are twice as likely to die from it as women.

Here's the link to the FRAX (WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool), go ahead, take the test, I'll wait!

I took the test, and my results showed that I have a 8.5% risk of a major osteopathic fracture in the next 10 years, and a .7% chance of a hip fracture. Now, a few points:

• I had to answer yes to having a previous fracture----I was in a car accident 19 years ago and had approximately 23 breaks in my pelvis, two broken legs, and a crushed right hand, wrist and forearm. That's a little out of the ordinary for someone so young, so that does alter the restults a bit.




• Nowhere does it account for hormonal balance, and quite honestly, my bone density has improved dramatically since getting my hormones balanced. Testosterone and Vitamin D3 have made a huge difference for me, and I also do regular weight training (not breaking any records, but still weight training).




• I have had a couple DEXA (bone density) scans, but right now in this mess of a desk I can't find my latest result (2009) so I left that area blank.

If the online assessment does nothing more than make people more aware of the osteoporosis risk for themselves and a loved one, it will have done its job. Stay strong!