- How many bones are in the human body?
a. 126
b. 79
c. 381
d. 206
- What is the name of the smallest bone in the body?
a. The cuboid
b. The patella
c. The stirrup
d. The scaphoid
- What is the main cause of osteoporosis prior to age 50?
a. Lack of exercise throughout life
b. Inadequate calcium in the diet
c. Heredity
d Oral corticosteroid use
- True or False: You should always take calcium supplements with food.
- Which age group needs the most calcium?
a. Children and teens – ages 9 to 18
b. Adults older than 50
c. Children – ages 4 to 8
d. Babies and toddlers
- What is the biggest determinant of achieving our peak bone density?
a. Adequate calcium consumption of the mother during pregnancy
b. Genetics
c. Lifestyle behaviors in childhood and teenage years
d. Gender
- True or False: Higher birth weight is associated with lower bone mineral density in later life and an increased risk of fracture.
- True or False: A history of breastfeeding is one of the risk factors for osteoporosis.
- Why is only the lower back (lumbar spine) included in a spinal DXA scan?
a. Most spinal fractures occur here, so it is the area of greatest concern.
b. It is the easiest part of the spine to access and image, and it is thought that the results found in the lumbar spine will be the same as in other regions of the spine.
c. The ribs, breastbone, lungs, heart, and liver prevent good imaging of the spine above the lumbar area.
d. The type of bone found in the lumbar vertebra allows for the most accurate result.
- True or False: A recent study found that for every 10 seconds of improvement in the ability to balance on one leg, the incidence of hip fracture decreased by 5%.
Answers:
- d: There are 27 bones in each of our hands alone!
- c: The stirrup – a bone in the inner ear which is about the size of a fruit fly. The cuboid is an ankle bone, the patella is your kneecap, and the scaphoid is one of the wrist bones.
- d: Within 3 months after initiating oral corticosteroids, losses in bone mineral density can be found. The rate of bone loss is greatest at beginning of treatment and less as the dose is tapered. Briot K, et al. Glucocorticoid-induced Osteoporosis. Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases Open2015; 1(1).
- False: The two most common calcium supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. The former costs less and is better absorbed when taken with food. Calcium citrate can be taken at any time, with or without food.
- a: Preteens and teenagers grow quickly and so do their bones. They should consume at least 1300mg of calcium/day.
- b: 60 – 80% of our peak bone density is determined by genetic factors. Gender is the second most important determinant. After puberty, males acquire more bone mass than females across all racial and ethnic groups. Lifestyle factors are also critical, such as adequate nutrition, exercise, and not smoking.
- True: This was recently reported in observational studies of over 300,00 British subjects. Yu, X-H, et al. Birth Weight is Positively Associated with Adult Osteoporosis Risk: Observational and Mendelian Randomization Studies. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 2021;36 (8): 1469-1480.
- False: While it is true that a breastfeeding woman who is not ovulating decreases her bone density by 5-10%, the bone loss related to lactation is transitory. When the same woman begins menstruating, her bones regain their density and strength. In fact, many studies have found that breastfeeding may reduce the risk of osteoporotic fracture later in life.
- c: None of the other answers are factual, and of particular note, most spinal fractures occur in the lower thoracic
- False: This study found that only one second of improvement was needed to decrease the incidence of hip fracture by 5%. (How fantastic is that? Please keep practicing!) Lundin H, et al. One-leg Standing Time and Hip Fracture Prediction. Osteoporosis International 2014;25(4):1305-1311.