Having healthy bones is vitally important. Good nutrition, sensible bone building exercise and having a healthy lifestyle will all help to keep your bones strong. Even if you have weak or thin bones, it is never too late to help your bones and to improve your bone health.

If you have a family history of thin bones (osteoporosis), or if you have had bone injuries (fractures) in the past, you should consider a “bone check-up”. This involves assessing how healthy your bones are, and developing a customised programme to suit your needs including advice on management such as nutrition, physiotherapy or tailored exercise programme.

The healthy bones service at Progress is led by Professor Cathy Speed, consultant in Rheumatology, Sport & Exercise Medicine, and a team of allied specialists including those with expertise in nutrition, biomechanics and exercise.

Professor Speed has a particular expertise in musculoskeletal injuries and arthritis, in rehabilitation and in exercise medicine in health and chronic disease. She also has a specific interest in the diagnosis and management of complex musculoskeletal pain. Click here for further information of Professor Speed.

Steps towards a diagnosis of thin bones may include testing such as DEXA (bone density) scans, on which Professor Speed reports results at Progress, and blood tests.