Our core osteoporosis library: what causes it, the signs to watch for, how FRAX estimates fracture risk, the treatments used in the UK (from bisphosphonates to bone-building injections), and the exercise and lifestyle choices that protect bone. Every guide links to its UK sources, so you can check the evidence yourself.
Start here: What Causes Osteoporosis? Causes and Risk Factors Explained
Osteoporosis itself is not painful. Broken bones are. Why fractures hurt, how long pain lasts, the UK pain relief options and when back pain needs urgent help.
A fragility fracture is a break from a fall from standing height or less. Why it predicts the next one, what a fracture liaison service does and how to ask.
Most broken bones take 6 to 12 weeks to heal. Typical times for the wrist, arm and hip, the stages of healing, what helps, and why bone health matters next.
Ibandronic acid is a monthly osteoporosis tablet or 3-monthly injection. How to take it (the 60-minute rule), who it suits, side effects and UK safety advice.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw is rare on osteoporosis medicines, about 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000. Risk factors, symptoms, dental advice and why not to stop.
Safe posture exercises for osteoporosis and a curved upper back, step by step from UK guidance, plus the movements to modify and when to see a physio.
Raloxifene is a daily tablet that cuts spine fracture risk after menopause. How it works, blood clot and stroke warnings, side effects and who it suits (UK).
Risedronate sodium is a weekly or daily osteoporosis tablet. How to take it (empty stomach, upright, 30 minutes), side effects, and vs alendronic acid.
A fractured vertebra from osteoporosis usually heals in 6 to 12 weeks. UK guidance on pain relief, sitting and sleeping, when surgery helps and life expectancy.
Osteoporosis is a condition that makes bones fragile and more likely to break. What causes it, why it is silent, how the NHS diagnoses it and how it is treated.
Zoledronic acid (Aclasta) is a once-a-year osteoporosis drip. Who gets it, what happens on the day, flu-like after-effects, checks, dental advice and duration.
Osteoporosis spine exercises after a spinal fracture: UK consensus guidance on safe loading, back-extensor and posture work, and which movements to adapt.
Weight-bearing exercise for osteoporosis is widely misunderstood: impact is a subset, resistance is different, and not all of it builds bone. What counts.
FRAX and NOGG explained: a FRAX percentage only matters once it meets a NOGG threshold. The UK pathway, thresholds by age, and what each risk band triggers.
FRAX score interpretation: your result is two percentages, not a verdict. What the numbers mean, the UK risk categories, and what NOGG says happens at each.
How a FRAX score is calculated: age, sex, BMI and clinical risk factors, optionally plus hip bone density. Every input the UK guideline lists, and why.
How to use the official FRAX calculator in the UK, step by step: what each question means, how to answer it, the two percentages it returns and what to do next.
The falls prevention exercises with the best evidence: strength and balance training and Tai Chi, plus home-hazard, vision and medication checks. A UK guide.
Is walking good for osteoporosis? It's weight-bearing and great for balance, but the evidence that it builds bone is weak. What UK guidelines say to add.
Resistance training builds and preserves bone as muscles pull on the skeleton. The evidence, including the LIFTMOR trial, and how to start safely.
Is yoga safe for osteoporosis? It aids balance, posture and falls prevention, but end-range spinal bending and forceful twists can risk a vertebral fracture.
Bisphosphonates are first-line osteoporosis drugs: alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate and zoledronate. How they work, side effects and drug holidays.
Osteoporosis treatment in the UK: lifestyle foundations, first-line bisphosphonates, denosumab, bone-building drugs, and how treatment is chosen and monitored.
Romosozumab (Evenity) is a bone-building injection for postmenopausal women at very high fracture risk: how it works, the 12-month course and the heart warning.
Prolia (denosumab) is a twice-yearly osteoporosis injection. How it works, who it's for, side effects, and why you must never simply stop it. UK guidance.
Alendronic acid side effects explained: common and rare effects, dental advice, how to take the tablets correctly and how long you stay on them. UK guidance.
Can alcohol cause osteoporosis? Heavy drinking weakens bone and raises fracture risk. What the UK evidence says about units, bone density and falls.
Losing height or a new stoop can signal silent spinal fractures from osteoporosis. UK guidelines flag height loss of 4cm or more for a bone check. What to do.
Smoking is a proven risk factor for osteoporosis and fractures: it lowers oestrogen, harms bone-building cells and slows healing. Quitting helps bones recover.
Can osteoporosis be reversed? Usually not fully, but bone loss can be slowed, stabilised and sometimes improved. What exercise, diet and treatment achieve.
Which exercises to avoid with osteoporosis, which to adapt, and what to do instead: UK guidance on impact, strength, balance and spinal movements.
What is a FRAX score? How the UK FRAX tool estimates your 10-year fracture risk, how NOGG thresholds guide treatment, and why bone quality matters.
Is osteoporosis hereditary? Genes strongly shape bone density and a parent's hip fracture raises your risk. But genes aren't destiny: prevention still matters.
Yes — men get osteoporosis too. Around 1 in 5 UK men over 50 break a bone because of it. Male risk factors, when to be assessed, and how DXA and FRAX work.
In the UK, a bone density T-score of -1.0 or above is normal, -1.0 to -2.5 is osteopenia and -2.5 or below is osteoporosis. Under-50s use a Z-score instead.
Osteopenia means lower-than-normal bone density — a DXA T-score between -1.0 and -2.5. It's a risk marker, not a disease. Here's what causes it and what to do.
The best exercises for osteoporosis: weight-bearing and resistance training build bone, swimming and cycling don't. What UK guidance says, and how to start.
How to improve bone density naturally: what the evidence really shows about exercise, diet and lifestyle for stronger bones, with honest UK guidance.
Signs of osteoporosis: it's usually silent, with no reliable early symptoms until a bone breaks. What UK evidence says about signs, risk factors and testing.
What causes osteoporosis? Bone resorption outpacing new bone. The causes, from ageing and menopause to medicines and hidden conditions, and risks to change.