"We need to help people start fighting osteoporosis before it’s even begun"

Abstract

Right now, medicine is too dependent on radiographic imaging techniques for diagnosing osteoporosis. It can be a debilitating disease, one that develops slowly over several years, weakening bones and rendering them dangerously fragile. Such diagnostic radiographic tools have their own limitations, detecting osteoporosis only once it has already developed. This means that it is already too late to properly control it. People tend to think of bones as static and unchanging, but this is a misconception. They are actually highly active organs, made of connective tissue reinforced with calcium and unique bone cells, with most also containing bone marrow where blood cells are made. Bone tissue is constantly turned-over throughout our lives, with these specialised cells absorbing the old tissue and laying down new tissue. These processes work hand in hand to maintain a healthy and strong skeleton.