Bone loss at the os calcis compared with bone loss at the knee in individuals with spinal cord injury.

Background/objective: The objective of this study was to document acute bone loss at the os calcis and compare it with bone loss at the knee following spinal cord injury (SCI) as a potential proxy for bone loss in individuals with SCI.

Methods: Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at the knee and os calcis, which also was assessed by ultrasound in 6 individuals--5 with complete SCI and 1 with incomplete SCI--at means of 33.5 and 523 days following injury.