Vertebral Bone Loss: An Unheeded Side Effect of Therapeutic Bed Rest

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Abstract
The skeletal effects of simple bed rest and reambulation were studied in a consecutive series of 34 patients (aged 18-60 yr) hospitalized with low backache due to protrusion of a lumbar intervertebral disc. The bone mineral content of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae was determined by dual-photon (153Gd) absorptiometry immediately after admission to the hospital, at the end of the bed-rest period (mean 27 days, range 11-61 days) and approximately 15 wk later (range 11-24 wk). During recumbency a mean decrease in lumbar spine bone mineral content of 0.9%/wk was observed. Reambulation resulted in bone mineral gain and restoration of lumbar spine bone mineral content was nearly complete after 4 mo. The simple therapeutic bed rest regimen leads to excessive vertebral bone loss. Recurrent bed rest periods may predispose to spinal osteoporosis.