We’ve done a great job of educating people about bone density tests. But now there is a new method for screening people to determine if they are at risk for osteoporosis. It’s called fracture risk assessment. Over 66,000 Americans have used our tool since it was published in 2009. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

For many years we have known that there is more to fracture risk than just bone density. There are many factors that can explain why in two individuals with the same bone density, one might break a bone and the other may not. The World Health Organization compiled data from all over the world to determine how to best “weigh” all the risk factors and to calculate fracture risk. Using fracture risk can help doctors better tell which patients need treatment. The calculator uses several standard risk factors to calculate 10-year fracture risk. We start with your age and the fracture rate expected for women/men like you. We then examine whether you are at higher (or lower) risk based on comparing your risk factors.

Doctors use risk-assessment for other diseases like breast cancer and heart disease. These tools are widely used to help decide whether treatment (usually drugs) is needed. We are now able to use a similar method for osteoporosis and have treatment recommendations based on the results.
Stayed tuned for some of the commonly asked questions about the FORE Fracture Risk Calculator.