Original Article

Spinal Cord (2008) 46, 727–732; doi:10.1038/sc.2008.36; published online 29 April 2008

Effect of weight-bearing activities on bone mineral density in spinal cord injured patients during the period of the first two years

V Alekna1,2, M Tamulaitiene1,2,3, T Sinevicius1,4 and A Juocevicius1,4

  1. 1Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
  2. 2Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine at Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
  3. 3National Osteoporosis Center, Vilnius, Lithuania
  4. 4Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania

Correspondence: Dr V Alekna, Medical Faculty, Vilnius University, Zygimantu street 9, Vilnius LT-01102, Lithuania. E-mail: vidmantas.alekna@ekmi.vu.lt

Received 3 August 2007; Revised 5 March 2008; Accepted 26 March 2008; Published online 29 April 2008.

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Abstract

Study design:

 

Prospective study on patients with spinal cord injuries.

Objectives:

 

To evaluate the loss of bone mineral density (BMD) in various body regions of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and its dependence on weight bearing activities during 2 years post injury.

Methods:

 

BMD of the whole body was measured in patients with SCI. Baseline measurement was performed in 6–16 weeks after SCI, the second and the third—respectively 12 and 24 months after injury. Fifty-four subjects were selected and divided into two groups: standing and non-standing. From these groups 27 pairs were made according to gender, age and height.

Results:

 

There was found to be a well-marked decrease in BMD values for lower extremities, but there was no significant difference between paraplegic and tetraplegic patients 1 and 2 year after injury. Leg BMD reduced by 19.62% (95% CI, 17–22%) in the standing group and by 24% (95% CI, 21–27%) in non-standing group during the first year. Two years after SCI patients in standing group had significantly higher leg BMD—1.018 g/cm2 (95% CI, 0.971–1.055 g/cm2) than in the non-standing group—0.91 g/cm2 (95% CI, 0.872–0.958 g/cm2) (Pless than or equal to0.0001).

Conclusion:

 

SCI patients who performed daily standing greater than or equal to1 h and not less than 5 days per week, had significantly higher BMD in the lower extremities after 2 years in comparison to those patients who did not perform standing.

Keywords:

spinal cord injury, bone mineral density, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, weight-bearing activity

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