A recent interview published in MEDPAGE TODAY with Linda A. Russell, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weil Cornell Medical School and Director of the Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Health Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City discusses stress fractures and their effects on patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Here are a few highlights from the interview.
"MPT: What makes one woman with osteopenia or osteoporosis more prone than another to stress fractures?"
Dr. Russell: "It’s the quality of the bone. You can do a bone density on two people and find that they have exactly the same bone density, but the quality of the bone is not the same. Maybe one has the same bone density as the other, but she’s had a low vitamin D level for several years. So that’s the patient you’d worry about more with regard to a stress fracture."
"MPT: How do they usually present?"
Dr. Russell: "Usually people come in the door one of two different ways. They come in with pain and you start to investigate the pain and you might easily find a stress fracture in the hip or shin or the metatarsal bones. But some people come in and, often, their X-ray is completely normal. In that case, if you have a good index of suspicion based on pain out of proportion with a negative X-ray, you want to get an MRI, which is a definitive test.
The key thing is that if you have a suspicion that the person could have a stress fracture—they have persistent pain and the X-ray showed nothing--you should go directly to an MRI, because if you don’t diagnose it you’re behind the eight ball."
We check for celiac disease, bone health markers, vitamin K and vitamin D levels.
I recommend eating a more alkaline diet. This means eliminating soda, sugar, coffee, gluten, reducing your meat consumption and increasing your fruits and vegetables. Focus on the green vegetables that are rich in Vitamin K. A big risk factor for hip fractures in patients with celiac disease is chronic small intestine damage from gluten or the proteins in wheat, barley and rye. This risk can remain elevated long after the disease has been diagnosed and managed with a gluten-free diet. Repairing the gut with GOOD GUT products is a key to reducing your risk. Second Nature patients take Xymogen's Vitamin K, Vitamin D3 5000, OSAplex, OSAplex CF, OSAplex MK-7, Ossopan MD and calcium-free OsteoBloX CF for total bone health, strength and bone loss prevention.
If you have had a total knee or hip replacement recently you will have less chance of complications if you are on hormone replacement therapy after the procedure. Hormone replacement therapy preserves our bone health. Schedule your hormone replacement therapy appointment before you have your surgery so your prescription will be filled and ready to go when you get home.
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This blog and recommended products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Schedule an appointment with your Naturopathic doctor for a full evaluation.
