Spinal Cord Injury and Osteoporosis: Causes, Mechanisms, and Rehabilitation Strategies

Overview

Journal Int J Phys Med Rehabil

Publisher Omics Publishing Group

Date 2014 Nov 25

PMID 25419534

Citations 21

Authors

Can Ozan Tan

Ricardo A Battaglino

Leslie R Morse

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) has a huge impact on the individual, society and the economy. Though advances in acute care resulted in greatly reduced co-morbidities, there has been much less progress preventing long-term sequelae of SCI. Among the long-term consequences of SCI is bone loss (osteoporosis) due to the mechanical unloading of the paralyzed limbs and vascular dysfunction below the level of injury. Though osteoporosis may be partially prevented via pharmacologic interventions during the acute post-injury phase, there are no clinical guidelines to treat osteoporosis during the chronic phase. Thus there is need for scientific advances to improve the rehabilitative approaches to SCI-related osteoporosis. Recent advances in application of a new technology, functional electrical stimulation, provide a new and exciting opportunity to improve bone metabolism and to provide mechanical strain to the paralyzed lower limbs sufficient to stimulate new bone formation in individuals with SCI. The purpose of this minireview is to delineate our current understanding of SCI-related osteoporosis and to highlight recent literature towards its prevention and treatment.

Citing Articles

Effect of Adapted Ergometer Setup and Rowing Speed on Lower Extremity Loading in People with and Without Spinal Cord Injury.

Fang Y, Troy K Bioengineering (Basel). 2025; 12(1.

PMID: 39851349 PMC: 11761565. DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering12010075.

Preventing OsteoPorosis in Spinal Cord Injury (POPSCI) Study-Early Zoledronic Acid Infusion in Patients with Acute Spinal Cord Injury.

Kumar S, Doyle J, Wood C, Heriseanu R, Weber G, Nier L Calcif Tissue Int. 2024; 115(5):611-623.

PMID: 39320468 PMC: 11531416. DOI: 10.1007/s00223-024-01292-3.

The Pathophysiology, Identification and Management of Fracture Risk, Sublesional Osteoporosis and Fracture among Adults with Spinal Cord Injury.

Craven B, Cirnigliaro C, Carbone L, Tsang P, Morse L J Pers Med. 2023; 13(6).

PMID: 37373955 PMC: 10300795. DOI: 10.3390/jpm13060966.

Identification of Serum Metabolites as Prognostic Biomarkers Following Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Study.

Bykowski E, Petersson J, Dukelow S, Ho C, Debert C, Montina T Metabolites. 2023; 13(5).

PMID: 37233646 PMC: 10224260. DOI: 10.3390/metabo13050605.

Chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia ameliorates osteoporosis after spinal cord injury through balancing osteoblast and osteoclast activities in rats.

Zhang L, Yin Y, Guo J, Jin L, Hou Z Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023; 14:1035186.

PMID: 37229453 PMC: 10203702. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1035186.

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