Effect of long standing time on bone mineral density in middle aged males

Background: Bone mineral density [BMD] is an important tool for assessing the risk of an individual for acquiring fractures. The determinants of bone mineral density are not well defined in men. The study aims at assessing the bone mass in middle aged men having occupations which required prolonged standing

Methods: Across sectional study was carried out comparing the T-score values of BMD of 100 men having a daily standing time of more than 8 hours to 100 men having a daily standing time of less than 3 hours

Results: The results showed increased bone mass in men with jobs requiring prolonged standing as compared to men, which had a sedentary life style

Conclusion: Middle aged men leading an active life style, having no other established risk factor for osteoporosis, have a less chance of developing decreased bone mass in future compared to men having jobs which require a lot of sitting, so that the lack of baseline physical activity predisposes them for an osteoporotic fracture in later life

Alternative tool to bone densitometry in ruling out osteoporosis in postmenopausal women between the age of 50 and 65 years

To devise an alternate tool to bone densitometry in ruling out osteoporosis in postmenopausal women between the age of 50 and 65. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 200 females aged between 50 and 65, from 1st November 2002 to 15th January 2003. North Medical Ward, Unit-4 and Out Patient Clinics, Mayo Hospital, and Akram Medical Complex, Lahore. Main outcome measures: Application of a tool based on the risk factor assessment in postmenopausal women as an alternative to bone densitometry in ruling out osteoporosis. The study results showed that in postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 65 years without any major risk factors as assessed by using the questionnaire, the occurrence of osteoporosis was not evident although bone weakness of varying degrees was observed in 30.5% of the study sample. This tool thus provides us with an inexpensive and efficient way of ruling out osteoporosis in postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 65 years without assessing their BMD values