HELLO WELLNESSPrimary Care
Patient Education

Osteoporosis Prevention

Osteoporosis prevention focuses on building and protecting bone strength, lowering fall risk, and identifying people who may benefit from screening or treatment before a fracture occurs.

Seek urgent evaluation for a fall with severe pain, inability to walk, new hip/back/wrist pain, new height loss with back pain, or suspected fracture.

Why bone health matters

Bones are living tissue. Bone strength is affected by age, hormones, nutrition, physical activity, medications, smoking, alcohol use, family history, falls, and certain medical conditions. Prevention includes both bone-building habits and fall-risk reduction.

Best practice focus: Bone health care includes calcium and vitamin D adequacy, weight-bearing and resistance activity, fall prevention, medication review, risk assessment, and bone density testing when appropriate.

Daily bone-health foundations

  • Choose calcium-rich foods such as dairy, fortified alternatives, leafy greens, beans, nuts, seeds, and fish with bones when appropriate.
  • Ask your provider whether vitamin D testing or supplementation is appropriate for you.
  • Include weight-bearing activity and resistance training as tolerated.
  • Avoid tobacco and limit alcohol when appropriate.

Fall prevention

  • Review vision, footwear, home hazards, balance, dizziness, and medications that may increase fall risk.
  • Consider balance exercises, strength training, physical therapy, or assistive devices when needed.
  • Keep walkways well lit and reduce loose rugs or clutter.
  • Report falls, near-falls, dizziness, weakness, or new unsteadiness.

How Hello Wellness can help

  • Review personal fracture risk, medications, menopause history, nutrition, vitamin D, calcium intake, activity, and fall risk.
  • Order or coordinate bone density testing when appropriate.
  • Review medications that may affect bone health.
  • Coordinate referrals for physical therapy, endocrinology, orthopedics, or osteoporosis treatment when needed.

When to contact your provider

  • You have had a fracture from a minor fall or low-impact injury.
  • You have height loss, new back pain, or a family history of hip fracture.
  • You take long-term steroids or medications that can affect bone density.
  • You are unsure whether you need bone density screening.