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O S T E O P O R O S I S L E A D S T O a broken bone for approximately half of Caucasian and Asian women older than age 50 in the United States, though bone mass loss begins decades earlier. Two studies at Purdue University found supplementation with soluble corn fi ber aids in building calcium in bone among adolescent girls and postmenopausal women. The fi ndings appear in the Journal of Nutrition and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, respectively. Three groups of girls consumed 0, 10 or 20 grams of soluble corn fi ber carbohydrate daily for three weeks. Those who consumed 10 or 20 grams had 12 percent improved calcium absorption, the researchers note. Three groups of postmenopausal women consumed the same amounts of the nondigestible carbohydrate over a 50-day period. Those who consumed 10 grams saw a 4.8 percent increase in bone calcium retention; those who consumed 20 grams had a 7 percent increase. ■ — By Steve Barrett S U R V E Y F I N D I N G S P U B L I SH E D in the Journal of Children's Orthopaedics suggest two-thirds of pediatric orthopedic surgeons have experienced a work-related musculoskeletal injury. Low-back pain was the most frequent condition, reported by about 29 percent of the 402 surgeons who responded. Lateral elbow epicondylitis was second, at roughly 15 percent. The researchers note that more than a quarter of the surgeons who sustained injuries underwent surgery, and almost one-third required injury-related time off. Surgeons were more likely to need time off because of their injuries if they had been practicing longer than 21 years or if they were older than age 56. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that among full-time private-sector and state and local government workers, musculoskeletal injuries account for almost one-third of nonfatal occupational illnesses and injuries that lead to time off from work. ■ — By Steve Barrett DOZENS OF ORGANIZ ATIONS dedicated to bone health are calling for a concentrated focus on osteoporosis, decrying inadequate screening, diagnosis and treatment. "[T]he 30-year downward trend for hip fractures in the United States ... has now hit a plateau in the last few years," Douglas Kiel, MD, MPH, President of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in an article in Endocrine Today. "We're here ... to raise a fl ag that something must be done." Signifi cant increases in hip fractures among men and women can probably be attributed to lower rates of DXA testing, leading to diminished diagnosis and treatment, Kenneth Saag, MD, President of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, said in the article. Dr. Saag added that while hip fractures are rising globally, only half as many people are being pre- scribed an osteoporosis treatment today as were prescribed treatment about a decade ago. Annually, almost 9 million people have osteoporosis-related fractures worldwide, accord- ing to the International Osteoporosis Foundation. ■ — By Steve Barrett Bone Preservation across the Ages Surgeon-injuring Surgery Expand Osteoporosis Treatment, Groups Urge 2 1 M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C L E V E L A N D /A K R O N / C A N T O N ■ J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 017