Lumbar Bone Mass Predicts Low Back Pain in Males

Abstract

Aims:Results of clinical and in vitro studies indicate that a fracture of the vertebral endplate, caused by compression forces, may be a primary cause of (non-specific) low back pain (LBP) (1). A logical inference from this hypothetical causative mechanism is that the compressive strength of (lumbar) vertebrae, approximated by bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD), would be a determinant of LBP. The objective of the study was to investigate whether low BMC and BMD values at the age of 36 years are related to the prevalence of LBP at the age of 42 years among the study population of the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study. Methods:At the age of 36 years the lumbar BMC and BMD was determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in 140 males and 152 females. At the age of 42 years the participants were asked whether they had experienced LBP in the previous twelve months. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship between BMC/BMD and LBP, adjusted for stature, bodyweight and physical activity. Results:BMC and BMD at the age of 36 years were significantly related to the reported 12-month prevalence of LBP at the age of 42 years. This relationship was only observed for males and not for females. Men within the quartile with the lowest BMC or BMD values had significant adjusted OR's for LBP of 4.21 (95% CI: 1.36-13.0) and 3.14 (95% CI: 1.12-8.82) respectively, with the quartile with the highest BMC or BMD values taken as reference. Conclusion:In conclusion, for a male population that is not characterised by osteoporosis or old age, lower lumbar BMC and BMD values are associated with a higher risk of reporting LBP in the future. Combined with the relationship between physical activity and bone mass (2), these findings support physical activity, in particular weight-bearing activity, as a preventive measure to decrease the risk of developing LBP.

Low back pain associated with sociodemographic factors, lifestyle and osteoporosis: A population-based study

“…The sex differences in gender role expectation for pain are complex and may be affected by culture (28). Though young females had a higher prevalence of LBP compared with young males, the association between low BMD and risk of LBP was more significant in young males than in young females (29). In addition, postmenopausal osteoporosis that may cause LBP could explain why women had more LBP than men (30,31).…”

Enhancement of Lumbar Fusion and Alleviation of Adjacent Segment Disc Degeneration by Intermittent PTH(1-34) in Ovariectomized Rats

“…Osteoporosis, which is mainly prevalent in postmenopausal and aged populations, is characterized by low bone mass, deterioration of bone tissue, and high incidence of fracture. There is increasing evidence that low levels of vertebral BMD accelerate or result in disc degeneration . In our previous studies, a strong association was found between osteopenia and disc degeneration in ovariectomized (OVX) rats, which may be related to deterioration of the structural integrity and function of the adjacent structures.…”

Physical activity and bone mineral density

“…Utvrđivanje mineralne gustine kostiju može doprineti prevenciji riziko faktora (Marshall & Hans, 1996) i može biti indikator drugih problema kao što je bol u donjem delu leđa, koji je povezan sa smanjenom mineralnom gustinom kostiju kod muškaraca (Hoozemans et al, 2012). Smanjena masa kostiju utvrđena denziometrijom predstavlja jedan od najvažnijih faktora za nastanak preloma , iako je većina preloma nastala nakon padova koji se dešavaju usled pogoršanja vizuelnih funkcija, mišićne snage i ravnoteže (Gillespie et al, 2009).…”