A T-score between −1 and −2.5 indicates that you have low bone mass, although not low enough to be diagnosed with osteoporosis. A T-score of −2.5 or lower indicates that you have osteoporosis. The greater the negative number, the more severe the osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis — People with osteoporosis have a T-score of -2.5 or less. Larger numbers (eg, -3.0) indicate lower bone density because this is a negative number. The lower the bone density, the greater the risk of fracture.
For postmenopausal women and men age 50 years and older, the T-score is the number that is used for diagnostic classification, as follows: A T-score of -1.0 or above is normal bone density. Examples are 0.9, 0 and -0.9. A T-score between -1.0 and -2.5 means you have low bone mass or osteopenia.
The result is your T score. A T score of -1 to +1 is considered normal bone density. A T score of -1 to -2.5 indicates osteopenia (low bone density). A T score of -2.5 or lower is bone density low enough to be categorized as osteoporosis.
BMD was classified according to WHO definitions (osteopenia, T-score − 1.1 to − 2.4 and osteoporosis, T-scores ≤ − 2.5).
In some cases, a T-score can be improved. However, it depends on where your score falls within the risk range and your lifestyle. Building up your bone density may involve taking medications as prescribed, eating plenty of foods that contain calcium and vitamin D, and exercising regularly.
Definition of Osteoporosis and Osteopenia (low bone density)
Osteoporosis was defined by the World Health Organization in 1994 as a T-score that is 25% lower than the average 30 year old or 2½ standard deviations below the mean or a T-score lower than -2.5. Some people have low bone density.
Men who began treatment at age 50 had a life expectancy of 18.2 years, while the life expectancy for a man beginning treatment at 75 was an average of 7.5 years. For women, the figure was 26.4 years for those beginning treatment at 50 and 13.5 years for those beginning treatment at 75.
If you have osteoporosis in your spine, don't lift more than 20 to 25 pounds with your arms or against your trunk, and avoid movements that have you twisting your trunk or bending forward extensively. (Bending back is fine, says Lein.)
Bone loss begins to occur at an approximate rate of 0.25% a year and is variable depending on many genetic and environmental factors. This may be considered the second stage towards osteopenia and/or osteoporosis. It is important to understand that this is a perfectly normal part of the aging process.
If you have osteoporosis, don't do the following types of exercises: High-impact exercises. Activities such as jumping, running or jogging can lead to fractures in weakened bones. Avoid jerky, rapid movements in general.
Exercise. Specifically weight training and walking are beneficial for increasing bone density in middle-aged and older people [77]. Regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises can reduce the risk of falls and fractures [78, 79, 80, and 81].
Pain is not a symptom of osteoporosis in the absence of fractures. Following a fracture, bones tend to heal within six to eight weeks but pain and other physical problems, such as pain and tiredness or fatigue, may continue.
The bones that make up your spine (vertebrae) can weaken to the point that they crumple and collapse, which may result in back pain, lost height and a hunched posture. Bone fractures, particularly in the spine or hip, are the most serious complications of osteoporosis.
Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and climbing stairs, can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss. Avoid substance abuse.
Weight-bearing and resistance exercises are the best for your bones. Weight-bearing exercises force you to work against gravity. They include walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, playing tennis, and dancing. Resistance exercises – such as lifting weights – can also strengthen bones.
You can prevent bone loss with regular exercise, such as walking. If you have osteoporosis or fragile bones, regular brisk walking can help to keep your bones strong and reduce the risk of a fracture in the future.
But "you can live with osteoporosis for a long, long time and never have complications such as fractures -- if you take certain precautions," says Felicia Cosman, MD, osteoporosis expert and medical director of the clinical research center at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, N.Y.
This excess risk is more pronounced in the first few years on treatment. The average life expectancy of osteoporosis patients is in excess of fifteen years in women below the age of 75 and in men below the age of 60, highlighting the importance of developing tools for long term management.
It provides a score called a T-score: +1 to –1 indicates normal bone density. –1 to –2.5 indicates osteopenia. –2.5 or lower means osteoporosis.
Osteopenia, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is a t-score between -1 to -2.5, while values less than -2.5 are diagnostic for osteoporosis.