What does my bone density score mean?
Got a DEXA or REMS report? Slide to your number and see, in plain English, what it says, what it doesn't, and what to read next.
Slide to your number
Between −1.0 and −2.5 is called osteopenia: lower bone density than a young adult's average, but not as low as osteoporosis. It's a signal to understand your full picture, not a reason to panic.
Spine readings can look falsely better: arthritis, calcified arteries and old compression fractures add extra mineral to the scan. That's why the hip result matters too.
These cutoffs are conventions used for research and treatment decisions, not sharp biological lines. Nothing dramatic happens in your bone between −2.4 and −2.6.
What your number can't tell you
Trabecular Bone Score (TBS) is a measurement taken from your spine DEXA image that estimates how well-connected your bone's internal scaffolding is, adding information beyond simple bone density.
FRAX is a free online tool that calculates your 10-year probability of having a major osteoporotic fracture or hip fracture, based on your personal risk factors.
Least Significant Change (LSC) is the smallest change in a DEXA scan result that's big enough to count as real, rather than just normal machine error.
Fall risk is how likely you are to fall, and it matters because falling—not just weak bones—is the most common cause of fractures in older adults.
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23Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
