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Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooOsteopenia

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What It Is

Osteopenia is when your bone density is lower than the normal range for a young adult, but not low enough to be diagnosed as osteoporosis (Royal Osteoporosis Society, 2022). Bone mineral density is a measure of how much bone tissue and mineral is in your bones, which shows how strong or dense they are. On a bone density (DEXA) scan, your result is compared with a healthy young adult and given as a "T score": a T score between -1 and -2.5 is defined as osteopenia, and a T score below -2.5 is defined as osteoporosis (NHS, 2022a). Having osteopenia means there is an increased risk that, over time, your bone density may fall further into the osteoporosis range, but osteopenia does not always lead to osteoporosis (NHS, 2022a).

Osteopenia literally means osteo (bone) and penia (low in quantity).

Bones naturally become thinner as you grow older. Bones are thickest and strongest in early adult life, until your late 20s, and you gradually start losing bone from around the age of 35 (NHS, 2022b). As this happens, bones lose minerals, which makes them weaker and more likely to break. The thicker your bones are in early adult life, the longer it will take them to reach the level of osteoporosis.

Causes of Osteopenia

Losing bone density is a normal part of ageing, and it happens at different rates in different people (Royal Osteoporosis Society, 2022). In a population of people some will have higher levels and some will have lower levels of bone density, and some of this is natural variation.

Some factors that affect bone density are (NHS, 2022b; Cleveland Clinic, 2025)

  • Long-term use of high-dose steroid tablets, which are widely used for conditions such as arthritis and asthma
  • Heavy drinking
  • Poor diet or malnutrition
  • Not exercising much, or a sedentary lifestyle
  • Long periods of inactivity, such as long-term bed rest
  • A low body weight (a BMI of 19 or less)

Osteopenia is not something that tends to affect younger people, except in cases such as malnutrition or eating disorders like anorexia (Cleveland Clinic, 2025).

Osteopenia is a silent condition, meaning that it does not usually cause any symptoms (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). It does not cause joint pain, muscle aching or morning stiffness. It is simply a lack of density in the bone. As a result, it may go unnoticed for years, or it might be picked up on a bone density scan (known as a DEXA scan).

Osteopenia may leave you slightly more at risk of a fracture if you fall. However, osteopenia can develop into its bigger sister, osteoporosis. This is a condition where the bone density is significantly below normal, and if you fall you are much more likely to have a fracture.

Osteopenia Anatomy

The skeletal system is made up of all the joints and bones in the body. Bones are living tissue made up of cells, protein fibres and minerals, and they are constantly being broken down and rebuilt throughout life (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). The skeleton serves as a scaffold, protecting and supporting the soft tissues that make up the rest of the body, and it provides attachment points that allow the muscles to move the joints.

New blood cells are made by the red bone marrow inside the bones. Calcium is the main mineral found in bone, and the bones act as the body's store of calcium (NHS, 2022d). The skeleton grows throughout childhood and serves as a framework for the rest of the body to grow along with it.

Not a diagnosis — for more information, contact me or another trusted healthcare provider.

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