Bone Mineral Density After Spinal Cord Injury: A Reliable Method for Knee Measurement

Osteoporosis is a common issue after spinal cord injury (SCI), leading to bone loss and increased fracture risk, particularly in the legs. This study aimed to develop a reliable way to measure bone density in the knees of people with SCI, comparing their bone density to that of people without SCI. The researchers found a reliable method for measuring bone density in the knee, and confirmed that individuals with SCI had lower bone density in their hips and knees compared to the control group.

• 1
  The study established a highly reliable method for analyzing knee BMD using DXA scans, indicated by high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).
• 2
  Individuals with SCI exhibited significantly lower BMD in their hips and knees compared to able-bodied controls, but no difference was found in lumbar spine BMD.
• 3
  A moderate correlation was found between hip BMD and distal femur BMD, suggesting that hip BMD can predict distal femur BMD in this population.