# Thin bones solution? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 17, 2003, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thin-bones-solution/202108 "2003-09-17T11:46:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thin-bones-solution/202108/1 "2003-09-17T11:46:54Z")
I while back I was diagnosed by one of those portable bone-checking devices as to my bone thickness, and thery said I as a little bit above osteopenia, which is rather uncommon, I suspect, for 21-yo men. As it as, I did everything they suggested (drink milk, avoid soda, etc) save one: I wasn’t excercising a lot. I’ve been doing that a lot for the last months, since it pretty much was all I could do. Anyway, does anyone else have some tips or suggestions for me? I’ve never broken a bone - in fact, the worst injury I ever had was a sprained ankle a couple of times (same one, i think I weakened it in childhood). I don’t want to have thin bones! ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thin-bones-solution/202108/2 "2003-09-17T14:34:45Z")
Powerlifters as a group tend to have very high bone densities. Heavy weight-bearing exercises are the way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thin-bones-solution/202108/3 "2003-09-17T14:39:41Z")
And just who was the licensed, accredited, and competent osteologist who used this “device” on you? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thin-bones-solution/202108/4 "2003-09-17T15:44:23Z")
It was at a University health-day thing. They gave people free BMI’s, blood tests for a couple of things, information on keeping fit and healthy, and bone screenings. The machine required you to take you socks off and they’d stick a paper sheet with a little clear gel on it. Then you stuck your foot into a boot, [after this, its speculation]which then ran a very small electric current through your ankle. The resistance, I think, tells them how thick your bones are.[/end speculation] It printed out a measurement on paper. I believe the staff were nurses from the University Hospital. That doesn’t mean they weren’t wrong, but I figure better safe than sorry, right? I have been doing arm crunches with weights. I don’t really have any leg-weight equipment, nor anywhere to put it, so I haven’t done any of that. I igure the lifting will build muscle mass, bone, and reduce fat. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thin-bones-solution/202108/5 "2003-09-17T15:53:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by smiling bandit \* > \*\*I have been doing arm crunches with weights. I don’t really have any leg-weight equipment, nor anywhere to put it, so I haven’t done any of that. I igure the lifting will build muscle mass, bone, and reduce fat. \*\* Not that kind of lifting. Have a look at the [bone-building workout](http://www.stumptuous.com/bonebuilding.html). ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thin-bones-solution/202108/6 "2003-09-17T23:59:53Z")
I wouldn’t put a lot of faith in that test. The only ways I know of to measure bone density in the foot is with either ultrasound or a single-energy x-ray. Both are used for screening, neither will give a definitive diagnosis. If you’re concerned you should get a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan of your hip or spine. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thin-bones-solution/202108/7 "2003-09-18T12:45:47Z")
Thank you both. I will check with a doctor when I get some insurance, and work out with some of those excercises in the meantime. I want to get into better shape and build muscle anyway, so this is simply another route to the goal line.