eMedicine Specialties > Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation > Spinal Cord Injury

Osteoporosis and Spinal Cord Injury: Follow-up

Author: David Weiss, MD, Medical Director of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, Marianjoy Medical Group
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Apr 1, 2008

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

  • No standards exist for follow-up care after the diagnosis of osteoporosis in persons with SCI.

Deterrence

  • In the acute and chronic stages of SCI, appropriate nutritional intake of calcium and vitamin D, as well as proper precautions in transfers and wheelchair sports, can help in prevention of osteoporosis and, later, in the prevention of fractures.
  • Appropriate amounts of calcium intake and early mobilization are the main means of limiting mineral loss; however, there is no known way to completely prevent osteoporosis in this population.

See also the following related eMedicine topic:
Sports Participation by Paraplegics

Complications

  • Fractures are the only complication that arises as a result of osteoporosis. For more details on fractures and osteoporosis in persons with SCI, see Mortality/Morbidity.

Patient Education

  • Patients should be educated in their nutritional needs and in the benefits of early mobilization. Transfer techniques and wheelchair sport safety also are important educational areas that can help to limit the amount of osteoporosis and prevent the fractures that may result.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Osteoporosis and Bone Health Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Osteoporosis and Understanding Osteoporosis Medications.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • To date, no standard of care exists for follow-up in persons with SCI when it comes to osteoporosis.
 


More on Osteoporosis and Spinal Cord Injury

Overview: Osteoporosis and Spinal Cord Injury
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Osteoporosis and Spinal Cord Injury
Treatment & Medication: Osteoporosis and Spinal Cord Injury
Follow-up: Osteoporosis and Spinal Cord Injury
Multimedia: Osteoporosis and Spinal Cord Injury
References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

spinal cord injury, osteoporosis, osteoporosis and SCI, SCI-induced osteoporosis, functional electrical stimulation, FES, dual-energy radiographic absorptiometry scan, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, DRA, DXA

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

David Weiss, MD, Medical Director of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, Marianjoy Medical Group
David Weiss, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Association of Academic Physiatrists, and Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Rajesh R Yadav, MD, Assistant Professor, Section of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas at Houston
Rajesh R Yadav, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Patrick M Foye, MD, FAAPMR, FAAEM, Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Co-Director of Musculoskeletal Fellowship, Co-Director of Back Pain Clinic, Director of Coccyx Pain (Tailbone Pain, Coccydynia) Service, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School
Patrick M Foye, MD, FAAPMR, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, Association of Academic Physiatrists, and International Spine Intervention Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Kelly L Allen, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Lourdes Regional Rehabilitation Center, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Denise I Campagnolo, MD, MS, Director of Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Research and Staff Physiatrist, Barrow Neurology Clinics, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center; Investigator for Barrow Neurology Clinics; Director, NARCOMS Project for Consortium of MS Centers, Phoenix
Denise I Campagnolo, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American Paraplegia Society, Association of Academic Physiatrists, and Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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