TBS is trabecular bone score. The only way to get this info is to have a DEXA on a scanner with TBS capabilities. Most scanners do not have TBS software installed and therefore
most DEXA reports do not provide this info. Additionally, most endocrinologists never mention the benefits of getting a DEXA w/ TBS to patients. Trabecular bone is the web-like or sponge-like bone inside your bones and TBS is a better indication of bone health/strength than t-scores. Vertebra are more likely to fracture (collapse) if TBS is low.

What are you doing to improve your balance? And if you don’t mind sharing, what is your age?

I’m 54 and I was diagnosed w/ osteoporosis at age 50. On my 1st DEXA, my total lumbar t-score was -3.9. I don’t have any fractures and my balance is excellent. Over the last 1.5 yrs, I’ve incorporated balance specific exercises to keep my balance up as I age and to potentially increase it.

My 81 y.o. mother was experiencing balance issues and earlier this year she went to physical therapy for her balance and it really helped. If you don’t want to do physical therapy, look up balance exercises for people with osteoporosis.

Also, I can’t find a link to the specific study that I read this in, but about a year ago, I found a study that said that women doing HRT who supplemented magnesium were able to increase their TBS. If you don’t currently take a magnesium supplement you may consider adding it. Start slow. Too much magnesium will over stimulate your bowels—sometimes it just takes a little experimenting with which type of magnesium your body can tolerate best.

Here are some links to info on magnesium. The interesting thing is that labs (blood work) are not necessarily accurate regarding magnesium in the body—even if the numbers come back w/i range, one can still be deficient.