ORTHOPEDICS + SPORTS MEDICINE
Bone Health & Wellness Program in Sarasota, FL
A proactive program that identifies fracture risk early and builds a plan to keep your bones strong and your life active.
Bone loss is silent. Osteoporosis rarely causes symptoms until a bone breaks, and after a first fracture the risk of another rises sharply. Many of the fractures we treat in our office, at the wrist, hip, spine, and shoulder, could have been prevented with earlier attention to bone health.
Our Bone Health & Wellness Program brings that attention into the same practice that treats your joints and fractures. Led by Darcy Steel, APRN, the program evaluates your bone health, explains your risk in plain language, and gives you a practical plan to protect your strength, mobility, and independence.
Fracture Prevention
Bone Density Evaluation
Stronger Bones Start With a Plan
Whether you have been told you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, have recently broken a bone, or simply want to stay ahead of bone loss, a bone health visit gives you answers and a clear next step. You do not need a referral to be seen.
What the Program Includes
Every plan starts with a thorough look at your bone health and is tailored to you. Depending on your history and results, your visit may include:
- A bone health and fracture risk assessment covering your personal and family history, medications, and lifestyle
- Bone density (DEXA) testing when appropriate, with a clear explanation of what your results mean
- Laboratory work to check vitamin D, calcium, and other factors that affect bone strength
- Guidance on nutrition, supplements, and weight-bearing exercise that builds bone
- Medication management when treatment is needed to slow bone loss or build new bone
- Fall prevention strategies and follow-up care after a fracture
- Coordination with your orthopedic surgeon and primary care physician, including bone health optimization before joint replacement or spine surgery
Meet Darcy Steel, APRN
Darcy Steel, APRN, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and registered nurse first assistant with more than 20 years of healthcare experience in orthopedics, surgical assisting, women’s health, and medical weight management. She joined Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart in 2026 and leads our Bone Health & Wellness Program.
Darcy brings a special interest in osteoporosis prevention and medical optimization to every visit. Her goal is simple: to help you improve your overall health while keeping your strength, mobility, and independence.
Darcy Steel, APRN, introduces the Bone Health & Wellness Program at Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart.
Part of the AOA Own the Bone® Program
Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart participates in Own the Bone®, the American Orthopaedic Association’s national program for preventing fragility fractures. Own the Bone gives orthopedic practices a proven framework for identifying patients at risk, recommending bone density testing, counseling on calcium, vitamin D, exercise, and fall prevention, discussing treatment when it is needed, and keeping each patient’s other physicians informed. Our Bone Health & Wellness Program is built on that framework.
Proud Participant in the AOA Own the Bone® Program
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What to Expect at Your Visit
Gather any prior bone density results, a list of your medications and supplements, and your fracture history. If you have had a DEXA scan elsewhere, bring the report or let us know where it was done so we can request it.
Darcy reviews your history and risk factors, examines you, and orders bone density testing or lab work if it is needed. You will leave understanding where your bone health stands and what the plan is, whether that is lifestyle changes, supplements, medication, or simply a recheck in a year or two.
We follow up on your results, adjust your plan as needed, and keep your orthopedic surgeon and primary care physician in the loop. Patients on treatment are rechecked at regular intervals to make sure it is working.
Who Should Be Evaluated
Osteoporosis affects men as well as women, and it is far more common than most people realize. A bone health evaluation is a good idea if any of the following apply to you. Not sure whether you should be screened? Call us. A short conversation is all it takes to find out.
WOMEN 65+ AND MEN 70+
Bone density declines with age, so screening is recommended for every woman 65 or older and every man 70 or older.
EARLIER RISK FACTORS
Postmenopausal, or under 65 with early menopause, low body weight, or a family history of osteoporosis or hip fracture.
A FRACTURE AFTER 50
A broken bone after age 50, especially from a fall from standing height or less.
HEIGHT LOSS OR BACK PAIN
Lost height, a more stooped posture, or back pain that does not go away.
MEDICATIONS AND CONDITIONS
Long-term steroids, or a condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, or celiac disease.
UPCOMING JOINT OR SPINE SURGERY
Preparing for joint replacement or spine surgery and want your bones in the best condition to heal.
Why Patients Choose Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart
Bone health does not live in a separate building here. If you break a bone, the surgeon who treats the fracture and the nurse practitioner who manages your bone health work in the same practice, so prevention starts the moment the cast comes off. And if you are headed for a joint replacement or spine surgery, improving bone quality beforehand gives your surgery the best chance of lasting.
- A dedicated Bone Health & Wellness Program led by Darcy Steel, APRN
- A participating practice in the American Orthopaedic Association’s Own the Bone® program
- Board-certified orthopedic specialists, recognized by Castle Connolly as 2026 Top Doctors, on the same care team
- Fracture care, joint replacement, physical therapy, and bone health under one roof
- Plain-language explanations of your results and a plan you can actually follow
- Appointments built around you: morning, lunch-hour, or afternoon, often within the week
Bone Health FAQs
No. Women are affected more often, but men account for a significant share of hip and spine fractures, and they are less likely to be screened. Men age 70 and older, and younger men with risk factors, should be evaluated.
No. You can schedule a bone health visit directly with our office. If your primary care physician has already ordered a bone density scan, bring the results with you.
Often, yes. A DEXA scan is a quick, painless, low-radiation test that measures bone density at the hip and spine. If you have had one recently we will use those results; if not, we will arrange one when it is appropriate.
No. Many patients start with nutrition, vitamin D and calcium, weight-bearing exercise, and fall prevention. Medication is recommended when your fracture risk is high enough that lifestyle changes alone are not enough, and Darcy will walk you through the options.
Bone health visits, bone density testing, and lab work are covered by Medicare and most insurance plans for patients who meet screening or treatment criteria. Our office will verify your benefits before your visit.
Often within the week. Call (941) 378-5100 or request an appointment online, and our team will find a time that works around your schedule.
Protect Your Bones, Stay Active
Schedule a bone health evaluation with Darcy Steel, APRN, in Sarasota to learn your fracture risk and get a plan to keep your bones strong for the long run.