Here’s the thing: most women don’t give their bones much thought…until they break. And by then? It’s usually too late to play catch-up.

 

Osteoporosis and fractures are way more common than people realize. In fact, for a 50-year-old woman, the risk of dying from a fracture in her lifetime is 2.8%—the same as her risk of dying from breast cancer. That risk is 4x higher than endometrial cancer.

Pretty eye-opening, right? Let’s break down what you need to know about osteoporosis, fracture risk, and how you can protect your bones now.

 

Why Bone Health Matters

 

Most women don’t get diagnosed with osteoporosis until they’ve already broken at least 3 bones. And after the first fracture, things move quickly—1 in 8 women will break another bone within a year. 50% of women who fracture a hip will end up in an assisted living facility. 

 

That’s why prevention and early action matter.

 

step 1: know how diagnosis works

 

Doctors use a combination of tests and risk scores to figure out your bone health:

 

DEXA scan:

Normal bone density: T-score of -1.0 or higher
Osteopenia (low bone mass): T-score between -1.0 and -2.5
Osteoporosis: T-score of -2.5 or lower



FRAX score (from the WHO): Considers age, weight, gender, smoking, alcohol, parental hip fracture history, etc.

If risk is >3% for hip fracture OR >20% for other major fractures over 10 years → meds are usually recommended.

Step 2: Fuel Your Bones with the Right Nutrition

 

Your bones aren’t just about calcium—they need a whole nutrient package to stay strong. Add these to your plate regularly:

 

  • Orange fruits & veggies (carotenoids for bone support)

  • Fermented soy, seaweed, and yogurt (great for gut + bone health)

  • Prunes + sesame seeds (yep, prunes really help bones!)

  • Cooked greens (calcium + vitamin K for bone density)

step 3: Exercise for Stronger Bones

 

Exercise is one of the most powerful tools for bone strength. The research is clear on the following modes of exercise:

 

Jumping & high-impact moves: finding ways for your body to pound through impact activities has shown a great reversal of bone loss in women with osteoporosis.  This can be scary and hard to incorporate with one of the biggest limiters women report being pelvic floor issues like leaking! Impact can be things like jumping but can be scaled down as needed depending on your experience!

Heavy lifting: Lifting weights consistently causes tendons to pull and tug on their attachments to bones. This pulling is what stimulates bone to create new growth! Can improve spinal bone density by up to 12% and strengthen the femur cortex, even if bone density numbers don’t change. Translation: bones get tougher.

Mobility: We cannot forget the importance of over range of motion and mobility throughout our bodies. Exercises that allow us to continue to move through ranges we did when we were younger make a huge impact on our bone health. The ability to extend backwards and our lumbar motion are 2 of the biggest predictors of quality of life in women with osteoporosis.

 In short: don’t just walk. Challenge your bones with strength, impact, and movement variety.

 

The Bottom Line

Your bones deserve just as much attention as your heart or hormones. Start early, fuel up with the right foods, and move in ways that actually strengthen your skeleton.

Because here’s the truth: bones can get stronger, even after a diagnosis. And protecting them now means fewer fractures (and a whole lot more freedom) down the road.

 

 

💛 At PeakRx, we’re here to help you lift strong, move smart, and keep those bones solid for life.