Search

Background: Essential amino acid (EAA) and omega-3 fatty acid ingestion independently attenuate leg skeletal muscle disuse atrophy in uninjured persons. However, no data exist regarding the effectiveness of combined EAA and omega-3 fatty acid ingestion to mitigate skeletal muscle disuse atrophy in response to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery. This pilot trial will explore the feasibility of recruitment and retention of ACLR outpatients from a single center across 18 months to consume either a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and EAAs, or a placebo control, for 4 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery., Methods: Thirty adult (≥ 18 years old) ACLR outpatients will be recruited for this single center, double-blind, two-arm randomized controlled feasibility pilot trial. Participants will consume either 5 g⋅day -1 of omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) and 40 g⋅day -1 of EAAs or 5 g⋅day -1 of a control fatty acid mixture (safflower oil) and 40 g⋅day -1 of non-essential amino acids (NEAAs). Fatty acid supplements will be consumed 4 weeks before and for 2 weeks after ACLR surgery, whereas the EAAs and NEAAs will be consumed 1 week before and for 2 weeks after ACLR surgery. The primary outcomes are feasibility of recruitment and retention, with the goal to recruit 30 outpatients across 18 months and retain 22 participants upon completion of the study protocol following 12 weeks of data collection. These results will be reported using descriptive statistics, along with reasons and timepoints for study dropout. Secondary exploratory outcomes will be reported using inferential statistics for purposes of hypothesis generation and elucidation of mechanistic targets for future work; no inferences to clinical efficacy will be made. These outcomes include integrated rates of skeletal muscle protein synthesis, skeletal muscle protein content and expression of translation factors, skeletal muscle and erythrocyte phospholipid composition, and measures of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and power., Impact: This work will set the foundation for a future randomized controlled trial powered to detect an effect of EAA + omega-3 fatty acid intake on skeletal muscle size or function in response to ACLR surgery., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06233825. Registered 31 January 2024. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06233825?term=NCT06233825&rank=1., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate.This study has been approved by the Queen’s University Health Sciences and Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Research Ethics Board (HSREB No. 6038901). Verbal and written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

People with prior lean mass loss had a ~ 10% higher risk of MOF and ~ 22-26% higher risk of hip fracture, and the results were similar in people on anti-osteoporosis medications. Loss of lean mass is associated with increased fracture risk. Patients should be encouraged to pursue strategies to prevent loss of lean mass., Background: Sarcopenia increases fracture risk. If the risk persists after starting osteoporosis medication, patients may need to be encouraged to pursue strategies to prevent loss of lean mass., Objective: To estimate the effects of loss in appendicular lean mass (ALM) or total body lean mass (TBLM) on subsequent fracture risk and effect modification with anti-osteoporosis medication use., Methods: We conducted a registry-based cohort study linked to population-based data. We identified individuals ≥ 40 years of age with two DXA assessments ≥ 1 year apart and minimum 0.5 years of observation. ALM and TBLM were estimated from weight, sex, and percent fat from DXA (R 2  = 0.91 and 0.84 vs total body DXA, respectively). We report hazard ratios (HR) from Cox regression models estimating time to first incident major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and hip fracture, adjusted for fracture risk; osteoporosis medication was included as an interaction term and used to stratify analyses., Results: We included 21,249 individuals (mean 67 [SD 10] years, 95% female, 37% on osteoporosis medication). The mean follow-up was 7 years (SD 4). A total of 1868 and 548 people had incident MOF and hip fracture, respectively. People with prior ALM loss (HR per SD 1.09, 95% CI 1.04-1.15) or TBLM loss (HR per SD 1.09, 95% CI 1.42-1.14) had a higher risk of MOF. Hip fracture risk was greater in people with prior ALM loss (HR per SD 1.22, 95% CI 1.12-1.33) and TBLM loss (HR per SD 1.26, 95% CI 1.16-1.38). There were no interactions with anti-osteoporosis medication use (all p > 0.3). When restricted to people on anti-osteoporosis medication, each SD in ALM or TBLM loss was associated with 8-9% increased MOF risk and 18-23% increased hip fracture risk., Conclusions: Loss of lean mass is associated with increased fracture risk among individuals on anti-osteoporosis medication. Patients should be encouraged to pursue strategies to prevent sarcopenia., (© 2024. International Osteoporosis Foundation and Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.)

Purpose: People with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience a considerable loss of bone after the injury. Lumbar spine (LS) bone mineral density (BMD) has been reported to be within the normal range, or even higher when assessed with DXA, in people with SCI; hence, it has been hypothesized that sources of error may spuriously increase LS BMD. The aim of this study was to describe the frequency of potential sources of error that may alter LS BMD measurement in a cohort of individuals with chronic SCI at baseline and over a 2-year period., Methods: We analyzed baseline and 2-year follow up DXA scans (Hologic Discovery QDR 4500, Hologic Inc., MA, USA) previously performed from a cohort of males and females with chronic SCI. Two physicians independently reviewed each scan, commented on whether the scan was appropriate for BMD analysis, should be re-analyzed, or be removed from the dataset, and reported on the presence of potential sources of error in LS BMD measurement., Results: We reviewed 115 lumbar spine DXA scans from 58 participants, and 107 (93.0 %) scans from 52 participants presented at least one potential source of error. At baseline, the average number of potential sources of error per scan was 5.5 ± 1.7 and 5.7 ± 1.5 according to rater 1 and rater 2, respectively. Follow-up scans presented an average of 5.6 ± 1.6 and 5.7 ± 1.4 potential sources of error according to rater 1 and rater 2, respectively. Facet sclerosis, osteophytes and difficulty in detecting bone edges were the most prevalent sources of error., Conclusion: The high frequency of potential sources of error is consistent with current recommendations against the use of LS BMD for fracture risk assessment in people with SCI., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To describe lumbar spine (LS) trabecular bone score (TBS) values after SCI, and to explore the differences in fractures risk assessment between FRAX® and TBS-adjusted FRAX® in individuals living with chronic SCI., Methods: Baseline dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans from an established cohort were acquired using a Hologic Discovery QDR 4500. TBS measurements were performed using the TBS iNsight TM software version 2.1.2.0. A Welch's t-test was performed to explore differences in TBS, FRAX®, and TBS-adjusted FRAX® between men and women, between participants ≤49 years and ≥50 years, and between subgroups with and without history of fracture and with complete and incomplete injury., Results: We analyzed 37 scans; the mean TBS was 1.336 ± 0.107. The mean 10-year fracture risk was 8.8% ± 11.4% for major osteoporotic fracture and 4.0% ± 10.8% for hip fracture according to FRAX®, and 6.6% ± 2.8% for major osteoporotic fracture and 2.8% ± 6.7% for hip fractures according to TBS-adjusted FRAX®. The 10-year fracture risk for major osteoporotic fractures was higher in individuals with a prior fragility fracture compared to those without, according to FRAX® ( p = .033) and TBS-adjusted FRAX® ( p = .001)., Conclusion: Over a half of our sample presented a partially degraded bone microarchitecture based on TBS. TBS was not different between people with motor complete and motor incomplete injury or with and without prior fragility fracture. Future studies are needed to define the clinical relevance of TBS and TBS-adjusted FRAX® in people with chronic SCI., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 American Spinal Injury Association.)

Purpose: To understand experiences and perceptions on non-pharmacological treatment of vertebral fractures and virtual-care from the perspective of care professionals' (HCPs)., Design and Setting: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 HCPs within Canada (7 F, 6 M, aged 46 ± 12 years) and performed a thematic and content analysis from a post-positivism perspective., Results: Two themes were identified: acuity matters when selecting appropriate interventions; and roadblocks to receiving non-pharmacological interventions. We found that treatment options were dependent on the acuity/stability of fracture and were individualized accordingly. Pain medication was perceived as important, but non-pharmacological strategies were also considered helpful in supporting recovery. Participants discussed barriers related to the timely identification of fracture, referral to physiotherapy, and lack of knowledge among HCPs on how to manage osteoporosis and vertebral fractures. HCPs reported positive use of virtual-care, but had concerns related to patient access, cost, and comprehensive assessments., Conclusion: HCPs used and perceived non-pharmacological interventions as helpful and selected specific treatments based on the recency of fracture and patient symptoms. HCPs' also believed that virtual-care that included an educational component, an assessment by a physiotherapist, and an exercise group was a feasible alternative, but concerns exist and may require further evaluation.

Physical activity improves the well-being of persons living with dementia but few exercise programs include them. The Dementia-Inclusive Choices for Exercise (DICE) toolkit aims to improve exercise providers' understanding of dementia and ability to support persons living with dementia in physical activity. We evaluated the co-designed DICE toolkit with exercise providers using a mixed-methods approach comprising pre/post questionnaires and interviews and reflection diaries. Among 16 participants, self-efficacy for exercise delivery to persons living with dementia and both knowledge and attitudes toward dementia significantly improved. Thematic analysis suggested participants (a) had a deeper understanding of the variability of dementia, (b) were planning for equitable access for persons living with dementia, (c) planned to promote social connection through exercise, and (d) were optimistic for future engagement with persons living with dementia. The DICE toolkit may improve exercise providers' knowledge and confidence to plan proactively to support persons living with dementia in programs and services.

Background: The growth of urban dwelling populations globally has led to rapid increases of research and policy initiatives addressing associations between the built environment and physical activity (PA). Given this rapid proliferation, it is important to identify priority areas and research questions for moving the field forward. The objective of this study was to identify and compare research priorities on the built environment and PA among researchers and knowledge users (e.g., policy makers, practitioners)., Methods: Between September 2022 and April 2023, a three-round, modified Delphi survey was conducted among two independent panels of international researchers (n = 38) and knowledge users (n = 23) to identify similarities and differences in perceived research priorities on the built environment and PA and generate twin 'top 10' lists of the most important research needs., Results: From a broad range of self-identified issues, both panels ranked in common the most pressing research priorities including stronger study designs such as natural experiments, research that examines inequalities and inequities, establishing the cost effectiveness of interventions, safety and injuries related to engagement in active transportation (AT), and considerations for climate change and climate adaptation. Additional priorities identified by researchers included: implementation science, research that incorporates Indigenous perspectives, land-use policies, built environments that support active aging, and participatory research. Additional priorities identified by knowledge users included: built environments and PA among people living with disabilities and a need for national data on trip chaining, multi-modal travel, and non-work or school-related AT., Conclusions: Five common research priorities between the two groups emerged, including (1) to better understand causality, (2) interactions with the natural environment, (3) economic evaluations, (4) social disparities, and (5) preventable AT-related injuries. The findings may help set directions for future research, interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations, and funding opportunities., (© 2023. Crown.)

Objective: This project aimed to develop a virtual intervention for vertebral fractures (VIVA) to implement the international recommendations for the nonpharmacological management of osteoporotic vertebral fractures and to test its acceptability and usability., Methods: VIVA was developed in accordance with integrated knowledge translation principles and was informed by the Behavioral Change Wheel, the Theoretical Domains Framework, and the affordability, practicability, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, acceptability, side effects/safety, and equity (APEASE) criteria. The development of the prototype of VIVA involved 3 steps: understanding target behaviors, identifying intervention options, and identifying content and implementation options. The VIVA prototype was delivered to 9 participants to assess its acceptability and usability., Results: VIVA includes 7 1-on-1 virtual sessions delivered by a physical therapist over 5 weeks. Each session lasts 45 minutes and is divided in 3 parts: education, training, and behavioral support/goal setting. Four main themes emerged from the acceptability evaluation: perceived improvements in pain, increased self-confidence, satisfaction with 1-on-1 sessions and resources, and ease of use. All of the participants believed that VIVA was very useful and were very satisfied with the 1-on-1 sessions. Four participants found the information received very easy to practice, 4 found it easy to practice, and 1 found it somewhat difficult to practice. Five participants were satisfied with the supporting resources, and 4 were very satisfied. Potential for statistically significant improvements was observed in participants' ability to make concrete plans about when, how, where, and how often to exercise., Conclusion: VIVA was acceptable and usable to the participants, who perceived improvements in pain and self-confidence., Impact: The virtual implementation of the recommendations for the nonpharmacological management of vertebral fractures showed high acceptability and usability. Future trials will implement the recommendations on a larger scale to evaluate their effectiveness., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Physical Therapy Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Competing Interests: Intérêts concurrents : Lora Giangregorio déclare avoir reçu des honoraires d’Amgen Inc. pour une conférence donnée sur l’exercice physique, hors du cadre du présent manuscrit, sans mention de médicaments. La Dre Giangregorio est également membre du conseil consultatif scientifique d’Ostéoporose Canada et coresponsable du Groupe d’intérêt spécial sur la fracture vertébrale du Fragility Fracture Network. Sandra Kim déclare qu’Ostéoporose Canada lui a offert le soutien d’une personne spécialiste de la méthodologie GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations) à l’Université McMaster au cours de l’étude. De 2017 à 2020, la Dre Kim a aussi été membre bénévole du conseil d’administration d’Ostéoporose Canada. Nancy Santesso déclare avoir reçu une rémunération versée à son établissement (Université McMaster) afin d’apporter son expertise de l’outil GRADE à l’élaboration des lignes directrices et à la préparation de contenus au cours de l’étude. La Dre Santesso a aussi reçu du soutien d’Ostéoporose Canada pour se rendre aux réunions sur les lignes directrices. Heather McDonald-Blumer déclare avoir reçu des honoraires de consultation d’Eli Lilly et de Novartis pour sa présence à des conseils consultatifs, sans lien avec les présents travaux. Rowena Ridout est membre du conseil d’administration d’Ostéoporose Canada depuis 2020 (aucune rémunération perçue). Neil Binkley déclare avoir reçu une subvention de recherche (versée à son établissement) de Radius, ainsi que des frais de consultation et des honoraires d’Amgen. Angela Cheung a reçu des honoraires d’Amgen et des Laboratoires Paladin à titre de consultante. La Dre Cheung a aussi été membre du comité des lignes directrices cliniques de l’Endocrine Society, coprésidente du programme de santé postménopause de l’American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology et vice-présidente et coresponsable de la Conférence de prise de position 2023 de la Société internationale de densitométrie clinique. Robert Josse déclare avoir reçu des frais de consultation d’Amgen Canada, des Laboratoires Paladin et d’Alexion, ainsi que des honoraires d’Amgen et d’Alexion. Le Dr Josse a aussi participé à des comités consultatifs pour Amgen, Paladin, Alexion et Ultragenyx. Aliya Khan a reçu des subventions de recherche d’Alexion, d’Amgen Canada, de Takeda, d’Ascendis, de Chugai, de Radius, d’Amolyt et d’Ultragenyx, ainsi que des honoraires de conférencière d’Amgen, d’Alexion, d’Ascendis, de Takeda et d’Ultragenyx. La Dre Khan a également participé à des comités consultatifs pour Amgen Canada, Alexion, Amolyt, Ascendis et Takeda. E. Lynn Izumi Nash déclare que le Collège des médecins de famille de l’Ontario lui a versé des honoraires pour la conception d’ateliers de formation médicale continue sur l’ostéoporose. La Dre Nash est aussi membre du conseil consultatif scientifique d’Ostéoporose Canada (à titre bénévole). Zahra Bardai déclare avoir reçu des honoraires en tant que membre du comité de planification scientifique de Pri-Med Canada depuis 2011 et en tant que créatrice du Programme d’apprentissage basé sur la pratique en petit groupe de la Fondation pour l’éducation médicale continue, à l’Université McMaster. La Dre Bardai est aussi membre bénévole du conseil consultatif scientifique d’Ostéoporose Canada. Suzanne Cadarette déclare avoir reçu des subventions de recherche (versées à son établissement) en tant que cochercheuse principale pour des projets financés par les Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada et les National Institutes of Health. Heather Frame a siégé au conseil d’administration d’Ostéoporose Canada jusqu’en novembre 2020. Kaleen Hayes déclare avoir reçu des subventions de recherche à l’initiative des chercheurs du National Institute on Aging, d’Insight Therapeutics, de Genentech et de Sanofi (versées directement à son établissement), et des honoraires de consultation de l’Agence canadienne des médicaments et des technologies de la santé. Alexandra Papaioannou a fait partie d’un comité consultatif et de services de conférenciers et conférencières et a reçu des honoraires d’Amgen Canada. Christine Thomas a été membre du conseil d’administration d’Ostéoporose Canada à différentes périodes.

Persons with dementia have the right to equal inclusion in rehabilitation, including physical activity. However, the perspectives of persons with dementia are rarely integrated into decision-making related to physical activity programming, services, and supports. Here, we describe the participatory action research (PAR) approach used to develop the Dementia-Inclusive Choices for Exercise (DICE) toolkit, which aims to increase the quality and number of physical activity opportunities available to persons with dementia. The DICE Research Team included persons with dementia, a family care partner, exercise professionals, community and dementia service providers, health care professionals, and researchers who worked to: 1) Engage/maintain the Research Team; 2) Set/navigate ways of engagement; 3) Understand barriers to physical activity; 4) Prioritize the audience and actions; 5) Develop the toolkit; 6) Conduct usability testing; and 7) Implement and evaluate. Guided by the Behaviour Change Wheel, and informed by interviews, focus groups, and existing research, our PAR Team chose to prioritize training exercise providers; exercise providers can enable exercise for persons with dementia if they understand common changes with dementia and how to support persons with dementia in exercise. The content and format of the toolkit was co-developed: drafted by our Research Team, adapted through a stakeholder workshop, and refined through iterative development and usability testing. The product of our PAR process, the DICE toolkit, includes videos meant to destigmatize dementia, training modules and a training manual for exercise providers, a physical activity handout for persons with dementia, and wallet cards to help persons with dementia communicate their abilities, needs, and preferences. Our usability study indicated that the toolkit could be used by exercise providers and may improve attitudes about dementia. Our vision is that our co-developed DICE toolkit will empower exercise providers to improve physical activity opportunities and support for persons with dementia., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: In Canada, more than 2 million people live with osteoporosis, a disease that increases the risk for fractures, which result in excess mortality and morbidity, decreased quality of life and loss of autonomy. This guideline update is intended to assist Canadian health care professionals in the delivery of care to optimize skeletal health and prevent fractures in postmenopausal females and in males aged 50 years and older., Methods: This guideline is an update of the 2010 Osteoporosis Canada clinical practice guideline on the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in Canada. We followed the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework and quality assurance as per Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) quality and reporting standards. Primary care physicians and patient partners were represented at all levels of the guideline committees and groups, and participated throughout the entire process to ensure relevance to target users. The process for managing competing interests was developed before and continued throughout the guideline development, informed by the Guideline International Network principles. We considered benefits and harms, patient values and preferences, resources, equity, acceptability and feasibility when developing recommendations; the strength of each recommendation was assigned according to the GRADE framework., Recommendations: The 25 recommendations and 10 good practice statements are grouped under the sections of exercise, nutrition, fracture risk assessment and treatment initiation, pharmacologic interventions, duration and sequence of therapy, and monitoring. The management of osteoporosis should be guided by the patient's risk of fracture, based on clinical assessment and using a validated fracture risk assessment tool. Exercise, nutrition and pharmacotherapy are key elements of the management strategy for fracture prevention and should be individualized., Interpretation: The aim of this guideline is to empower health care professionals and patients to have meaningful discussions on the importance of skeletal health and fracture risk throughout older adulthood. Identification and appropriate management of skeletal fragility can reduce fractures, and preserve mobility, autonomy and quality of life., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Lora Giangregorio reports receiving an honorarium from Amgen Inc. for a lecture on exercise with no mention of medications, outside the current manuscript. Dr. Giangregorio is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Council of Osteoporosis Canada and co-lead of the Vertebral Fracture Special Interest Group, Fragility Fracture Network. Sandra Kim reports receiving support from Osteoporosis Canada for a Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) methodologist at McMaster University, during the conduct of the study. Dr. Kim was also a volunteer member of the Osteoporosis Canada Board of Directors from 2017 to 2020. Nancy Santesso reports receiving payment to provide GRADE expertise for guideline development and preparation of materials paid to institution (McMaster University), during the conduct of the study. Dr. Santesso has also received support from Osteoporosis Canada for travel to guideline-related meetings. Heather McDonald-Blumer reports receiving consulting fees from Eli Lilly and Novartis, for attendance on advisory boards, outside the submitted work. Rowena Ridout has been a member of the Osteoporosis Canada Board of Directors since 2020 (no payment received). Neil Binkley reports receiving a research grant (paid to institution) from Radius, and consulting fees and honoraria from Amgen. Angela Cheung has received honoraria for consultancy work from Amgen and Paladin Laboratories. Dr. Cheung has also held the following roles: member of the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the Endocrine Society; co-chair of the postmenopausal health pathway, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology; and vice-president and co-chair of the 2023 Position Development Conference, International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Robert Josse reports receiving consulting fees from Amgen Canada, Paladin Laboratories and Alexion, and honoraria from Amgen and Alexion. Dr. Josse has also participated on advisory boards for Amgen, Paladin, Alexion and Ultragenyx. Aliya Khan has received research grants from Alexion, Amgen Canada, Takeda, Ascendis, Chugai, Radius, Amolyt and Ultragenyx, and speaker honoraria from Amgen, Alexion, Ascendis, Takeda and Ultragenyx. Dr. Khan has also participated on advisory boards for Amgen Canada, Alexion, Amolyt, Ascendis and Takeda. E. Lynn Izumi Nash reports receivin an honorarium from the Ontario College of Family Physicians for designing continuing medical education workshops on osteoporosis. Dr. Nash is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Council for Osteoporosis Canada (voluntary unpaid position). Zahra Bardai reports receiving honoraria as a member of the Pri-Med Canada Scientific Planning Committee (2011–present) and as an author of the Foundation for Medical Practice Education Small Group Practice–Based Learning Program, at McMaster University. Dr. Bardai is also a volunteer member of the Osteoporosis Canada Scientific Advisory Council. Suzanne Cadarette reports receiving research funds (paid to institution) as co–principal investigator on Canadian Institutes of Health Research and National Institutes of Health project grants. Heather Frame is a former member of the Osteoporosis Canada Board of Directors (term ended November 2020). Kaleen Hayes reports receiving researcher-initiated grants from the National Institute on Aging, Insight Therapeutics, Genentech and Sanofi (all paid directly to institution), and consulting fees from the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. Alexandra Papaioannou has participated on an advisory board and in speakers’ bureaus and received honoraria from Amgen Canada. Christine Thomas has been a member of the Osteoporosis Canada Board of Directors at various time points. Conflict-of-Interest Oversight Committee: Heather McDonald-Blumer (Chair), Larry Funnell, Rowena Ridout., (© 2023 CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors.)

Objective: The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the effect of twice-weekly, moderate-to-high intensity progressive resistance training (PRT) for 1 year on lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) in individuals with low BMD, compared to attention control. Secondary analyses will examine if resistance training improves other health outcomes; if high intensity is more effective than moderate intensity resistance training for all outcomes; the cost of intervention versus benefit; the willingness to pay; and harms., Methods: For this study, 324 men or postmenopausal women aged ≥50 years with a femoral neck, total hip, or lumbar spine BMD T-score of ≤-1, or a Fracture Risk Assessment Tool probability of ≥20% for major osteoporotic fracture or ≥ 3% for hip fracture are being recruited to participate in a randomized controlled trial with 1:1:1 randomization. Participants will be stratified by site (3 centers) to twice-weekly, supervised PRT at moderate intensity (about 10 repetitions maximum), to high intensity PRT (≤6 repetitions maximum), or to a home posture and balance exercise program (attention control) for 1 year (resistance training to comparator allocation ratio of 2:1). The primary outcome is lumbar spine BMD via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Secondary outcomes include trabecular bone score, proximal femur and total hip BMD and structure, bone-free and appendicular lean mass, physical functioning, falls, fractures, glucose metabolism, cost per life-year gained, adverse events, and quality of life. Between-group differences will be tested in intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses using analysis of covariance, chi-square tests, or negative binomial or logistic regression, adjusting for site and baseline values., Impact: The Finding the Optimal Resistance Training Intensity For Your Bones trial will support decision making on resistance training for people at risk of fracture., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Physical Therapy Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objectives: To develop SCI-FX, a risk score to estimate 5-year lower extremity fragility fracture risk among patients living with chronic spinal cord injury (cSCI)., Methods: Adults with traumatic cSCI ( n = 90) participated in a 2-year prospective longitudinal cohort study describing bone mineral density (BMD) change and fracture incidence conducted at the Lyndhurst Centre (University Health Network), University of Waterloo, and Physical Disability Rehabilitation Institute of Québec City. Prior publication and clinical intuition were used to identify fragility fracture risk factors including prior fragility fracture, years post-injury, motor complete injury (AIS A/B), benzodiazepine use, opioid use, and parental osteoporosis. We conducted bivariate analyses to identify variables associated with fracture. Multiple logistic regressions were performed using fragility fracture incidence as the dependent variable and all variables from the univariate analyses with a highly liberal p value at 0.2. Using the odds ratios (ORs) from the multiple logistic regression model, a point system for fragility fracture risk score was developed, and the odds of fracture for each point was estimated., Results: All initial variables, with the exception of benzodiazepine exposure, were included in the final model., Conclusion: We identified a simple preliminary model for clinicians to estimate 5-year fracture risk among patients with cSCI based on their total score., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest Dr. Craven reports grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Ontario Ministry of Health, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Craig H. Nielsen Foundation, and Praxis Spinal Cord Institute during the conduct of the study. Dr. Craven acknowledges funding from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and UHNRMA AFP Innovation funds. She acknowledges support from the UHN foundation at the University of Toronto/Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Chair in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation. Dr. Alavinia, Dr. Giangregorio, Dr. Miyatani, and Lindsie Blencowe report no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 American Spinal Injury Association.)

The objective of this study was to explore the experiences and perspectives of individuals with chronic health conditions who had an adverse event (AE) as a result of resistance training (RT). We conducted web conference or telephone-based one-on-one semi-structured interviews with 12 participants with chronic health conditions who had an AE as a result of RT. Interview data were analyzed using the thematic framework method. Six themes were identified: (1) personal experiences with aging influence perceptions of RT; (2) physical and emotional consequences of AEs limit activities and define future RT participation; (3) injury recovery defines the severity of AE; (4) health conditions influence the perceived risks and benefits of participating in RT; (5) RT setting and trained supervision influence exercise behaviors and risk perceptions; and (6) experiencing a previous AE influences future exercise behavior. Despite participant awareness of the value and benefits of RT in both the context of aging and chronic health conditions, there is concern about experiencing exercise-related AEs. The perceived risks of RT influenced the participants' decision to engage or return to RT. Consequently, to promote RT participation, the risks, not just the benefits, should be properly reported in future studies, translated, and disseminated to the public. Novelty: -To increase the quality of published research with respect to AE reporting in RT studies. -Health care providers and people with common health conditions will be able to make evidence-based decisions as to whether the benefits of RT truly outweigh the risks., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests.

If interRAI home care information were shared with primary care providers, care provision and integration could be enhanced. The objective of this study was to co-develop an interRAI-based clinical information sharing tool (i.e., the Patient Falls Risk Report) with a sample of primary care providers. This mixed-methods study employed semi-structured interviews to inform the development of the Patient Falls Risk Report and online surveys based on the System Usability Scale instrument to test its usability. Most of the interview sample ( n = 9) believed that the report could support patient care by sharing relevant and actionable falls-related information. However, criticisms were identified, including insufficient detail, clarity, and support for shared care planning. After incorporating suggestions for improvement, the survey sample ( n = 27) determined that the report had excellent usability with an overall usability score of 83.4 (95% CI = 78.7-88.2). By prioritizing the needs of end-users, sustainable interRAI interventions can be developed to support primary care.

Introduction: Muscle-strengthening and balance activities are associated with the prevention of illness and injury. Age-specific Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines include recommendations for muscle/bone-strengthening and balance activities. From 2000-2014, the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) included a module that assessed frequency in 22 physical activities. In 2020, a healthy living rapid response module (HLV-RR) on the CCHS asked new questions on the frequency of muscle/bonestrengthening and balance activities. The objectives of the study were to (1) estimate and characterize adherence to meeting the muscle/bone-strengthening and balance recommendations; (2) examine associations between muscle/bone-strengthening and balance activities with physical and mental health; and (3) examine trends (2000-2014) in adherence to recommendations., Methods: Using data from the 2020 CCHS HLV-RR, we estimated age-specific prevalence of meeting recommendations. Multivariate logistic regressions examined associations with physical and mental health. Using data from the 2000-2014 CCHS, sex-specific temporal trends in recommendation adherence were explored using logistic regression., Results: Youth aged 12 to 17 years (56.6%, 95% CI: 52.4-60.8) and adults aged 18 to 64 years (54.9%, 95% CI: 53.1-56.8) had significantly greater adherence to the muscle/ bone-strengthening recommendation than adults aged 65 years and older (41.7%, 95% CI: 38.9-44.5). Only 16% of older adults met the balance recommendation. Meeting the recommendations was associated with better physical and mental health. The proportion of Canadians who met the recommendations increased between 2000 and 2014., Conclusion: Approximately half of Canadians met their age-specific muscle/bonestrengthening recommendations. Reporting on the muscle/bone-strengthening and balance recommendations elevates their importance alongside the already recognized aerobic recommendation., Competing Interests: None.

Objective: To understand perceptions on rehabilitation after vertebral fracture, non-pharmacological strategies, and virtual care from the perspective of individuals living with vertebral fractures., Design and Setting: We conducted semi-structured interviews online and performed a thematic and content analysis from a post-positivism perspective., Participants: Ten individuals living with osteoporotic vertebral fractures (9F, 1 M, aged 71  ±  8 years)., Results: Five themes emerged: pain is the defining limitation of vertebral fracture recovery; delayed diagnosis impacts recovery trajectory; living with fear; being dissatisfied with fracture management; and "getting back into the game of life" using non-pharmacological strategies., Conclusion: Participants reported back pain and an inability to perform activities of daily living, affecting psychological and social well-being. Physiotherapy, education, and exercise were considered helpful and important to patients; however, issues with fracture identification and referral limited the use of these options. Participants believed that virtual rehabilitation was a feasible and effective alternative to in-person care, but perceived experience with technology, cost, and individualization of programs as barriers.

Background: Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is measured as an indicator of bone or liver disease. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (B-ALP) is an isoform of ALP found in the bone tissue which can predict fractures and heterotopic ossification., Objective: The aim of this scoping review was to explore the current use of ALP and B-ALP in studies using humans or animal models of SCI, and to identify ways to advance future research using ALP and B-ALP as a bone marker after SCI., Results: HUMAN STUDIES: 42 studies were included. The evidence regarding changes or differences in ALP levels in individuals with SCI compared to controls is conflicting. For example, a negative correlation between B-ALP and total femur BMD was observed in only one of three studies examining the association. B-ALP seemed to increase after administration of teriparatide, and to decrease after treatment with denosumab. The effects of exercise on ALP and B-ALP levels are heterogeneous and depend on the type of exercise performed. ANIMAL STUDIES: 11 studies were included. There is uncertainty regarding the response of ALP or B-ALP levels after SCI; levels increased after some interventions, including vibration protocols, curcumin supplementation, cycles in electromagnetic field or hyperbaric chamber. Calcitonin or bisphosphonate administration did not affect ALP levels., Conclusion: Researchers are encouraged to measure the bone-specific isoform of ALP rather than total ALP in future studies in humans of animal models of SCI.

This systematic review analyzes the effects of bracing and taping after osteoporotic vertebral fractures. Spinal orthose may have positive effects on pain, but the evidence is of very low certainty. Clinical judgment is recommended when prescribing spinal orthoses., Purpose: To examine the effects of bracing and taping interventions on pain, physical functioning, health-related quality of life, back extensor strength, kyphosis curvature, and adverse events in individuals with vertebral fragility fractures., Methods: Four databases were searched from inception up to January 2022. We included randomized controlled trials testing the effect of bracing or taping interventions compared with a non-intervention control in adults ≥ 45 years with vertebral fragility fractures. Narrative syntheses were presented for all the outcomes. We assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool and the certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation., Results: Three studies were included. Soft bracing interventions exhibited inconsistent effects on pain. One study showed no difference between groups, and another study should a decrease in pain in the soft bracing group compared to the control group. Rigid bracing interventions did not have a significant change in pain between the control and intervention groups. One study demonstrated a decrease in pain at rest (VAS: - 10.8 ± 19.3) and during movement (VAS: - 20.9 ± 29.8) after a taping intervention. The other outcomes were not consistent across studies., Conclusions: Spinal orthoses may improve pain in people with vertebral fractures; however, we cannot draw definitive conclusions on the efficacy or harms of bracing or taping due to the very low certainty evidence and the small number of studies. Effects on other outcomes are uncertain., (© 2023. International Osteoporosis Foundation and Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.)

Nutrition risk is linked to hospitalization, frailty, depression, and death. Loneliness during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have heightened nutrition risk. We sought to determine prevalence of high nutrition risk and whether loneliness, mental health, and assistance with meal preparation/delivery were associated with risk in community-dwelling older adults (65+ years) after the first wave of COVID-19 in association analyses and when adjusting for meaningful covariates. Data were collected from 12 May 2020 to 19 August 2020. Descriptive statistics, association analyses, and linear regression analyses were conducted. For our total sample of 272 participants (78 ± 7.3 years old, 70% female), the median Seniors in the Community: Risk evaluation for Eating and Nutrition (SCREEN-8) score (nutrition risk) was 35 [1st quartile, 3rd quartile: 29, 40], and 64% were at high risk (SCREEN-8 < 38). Fifteen percent felt lonely two or more days a week. Loneliness and meal assistance were associated with high nutrition risk in association analyses. In multivariable analyses adjusting for other lifestyle factors, loneliness was negatively associated with SCREEN-8 scores (-2.92, 95% confidence interval [-5.51, -0.34]), as was smoking (-3.63, [-7.07, -0.19]). Higher SCREEN-8 scores were associated with higher education (2.71, [0.76, 4.66]), living with others (3.17, [1.35, 4.99]), higher self-reported health (0.11, [0.05, 0.16]), and resilience (1.28, [0.04, 2.52]). Loneliness, but not mental health and meal assistance, was associated with nutrition risk in older adults after the first wave of COVID-19. Future research should consider longitudinal associations among loneliness, resilience, and nutrition.

Hypothesis: Greater peak torque and higher myotendinous density at the ankle are associated with a more plate-like architecture at the distal tibia., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, women and men ≥ 50 years old with no metal implants, reconstructive surgery, muscular dystrophies, or tendinopathies in any leg were recruited by convenience. Isometric ankle dorsi-plantar flexion and inversion-eversion peak torques were measured using dynamometry. HR-pQCT distal tibia scans were completed. Both assessments were completed on the same day on the non-dominant leg. Integral and trabecular vBMD were derived from standard analyses, failure load (FL) was obtained from finite element analysis, plate-specific parameters were computed from individual trabecula segmentation (ITS) analysis, myotendinous density (MyD) and volume fraction (MyV/TV) were computed from soft tissue analysis. pQCT scans of the 66 % mid-leg were performed (500 μm at 15 mm/s) to obtain muscle density (MD) and muscle cross-sectional area (MCSA)., Statistical Analysis: General linear models estimated how ankle muscle group torque and muscle size and density differentially related, both separately and together, to whole-bone properties (integral vBMD, FL) and trabecular morphometry (ITS plate parameters). Models were adjusted for age, sex, BMI, use of glucocorticoids, current osteoarthritis, and participation in moderate to vigorous recreational or sport activities., Results: Among 105 participants (77 % female, mean age: 63 (10) years, BMI: 25.8 (5.4) kg/m 2 , 25 % with OA, 17 % fracture history, 42 % falls history), all torque measures, particularly ankle dorsiflexion and eversion, were correlates of plate-plate/rod junction density and failure load. However, muscle size and density measures were further associated with vBMD. The effect of greater ankle flexor-extensor torque on more connected bone was stronger when MyD was higher (interaction p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Strength of muscles around the ankle are correlates of plate-like trabeculae at the distal tibia, while leaner muscle and myotendinous tissues facilitates better quality bone for stronger ankle muscle torque., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None of the authors have any conflicts of interests to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Exercise and nutrition interventions are often recommended for frailty; however, effective strategies are required for real-world implementation. Our primary aim was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of telephone and virtual delivery of MoveStrong, an 8-week exercise and nutrition program with a 4-week follow-up for older pre-frail and frail adults. A priori criteria for success included: recruitment (≥25/12 weeks), retention at follow-up (≥80%), and adherence to exercise and nutrition sessions (≥70%). We recruited community-dwelling Ontario residents; ≥60 years, ≥1 chronic condition, ≥1 FRAIL scale score. Participants received mailed materials, a personalized exercise program, 11 remote one-on-one training sessions with an exercise physiologist and 3 online dietitian-led nutrition education sessions. We completed exploratory analyses of secondary outcomes including physical function and dietary protein intake. Semi-structured interviews supported program evaluation. In total, 30 participants were enrolled. 28 (93%) participants completed program and follow-up assessments. Adherence to exercise and nutrition sessions (CI) was 84% (77%-91%) and 82% (70%-93%) respectively. At program end and follow-up [mean change (CI)], significant improvements were measured in 30-second chair stand test [3.50 (1.12-5.86), 4.54 (1.94-7.13) chair stands] and dietary protein intake [12.9 (5.7-20.0), 9.2 (0.4-18.1) g]. Overall, participants were satisfied with program delivery. Trial registration number: NCT04663685.

Cognition, frailty, and falls have been examined independently as potential correlates of fracture risk, but not simultaneously. Our objective was to explore the association between cognition, frailty, and falls and self-reported incident fractures to determine if these factors show significant independent associations or interactions. We included participants who completed the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) 2012-2015 baseline comprehensive assessment, did not experience any self-reported fractures in the year prior to cohort recruitment, and completed the follow-up questionnaire at year 3 ( n  = 26,982). We compared all baseline cognitive measures available in the CLSA, the Rockwood Frailty Index (FI), and presence of self-reported falls in the past 12 months in those with versus without self-reported incident fractures in year 3 of follow-up. We used multivariable logistic regression adjusted for covariates and examined two-way interactions between cognition, frailty, and prior falls. CLSA specified analytic weights were applied. The mean ± standard error (SE) age of participants was 59.5 ± 0.1 years and 52.2% were female. A total of 715 participants (2.7%) self-reported incident fractures at 3-year follow-up. Participants who experienced incident fractures had similar baseline cognition scores (mean ± SE; Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test [RAVLT]: Immediate recall 6.1 ± 0.1 versus 5.9 ± 0.0; standardized difference [d] 0.124); higher FI scores (mean ± SE; FI 0.134 ± 0.005 versus 0.116 ± 0.001; d 0.193), and a greater percentage had fallen in the past 12 months (weighted n [%] 518 [7.2] versus 919 [3.5]; d 0.165). FI (each increment of 0.08) was associated with a significantly increased risk of self-reported incident fractures in participants of all ages and those aged 65 years or older (adjusted odd ratio [OR] 1.24, 95% confidence limit [CL] 1.10-1.40; adjusted OR 1.44, 95% CL 1.11-1.52, respectively). The adjusted odds for self-reported incident fractures in participants of all ages was also significantly associated with falls in the past 12 months prior to baseline (adjusted OR 1.83; 95% CL 1.13-2.97), but not in those aged 65 years or older. No interactions between cognition, frailty, and prior falls were found. However, considering the relatively young age of our cohort, it may be appropriate to make strong inferences in individuals older than 65 years of age. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research., Competing Interests: All authors state that they have no conflicts of interest., (© 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.)

Background: Falls are a growing concern in Canada. Primary care providers are well positioned to address falls risk, but international literature suggests that best-practice guidelines are rarely followed. The objective of this study is to explore the perspectives of Canadian primary care providers around falls prevention and identify solutions., Methods: We conducted one-on-one qualitative interviews with a maximum variation sample of nine primary care providers in Ontario (n=8) and Alberta (n=1) in Canada. Data were collected over telephone and in-person at the location of participants choosing. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed, then coded and analyzed with the Behaviour Change Wheel theoretical framework., Results: Most participants reported relying on patient self-report, intuition, and reactive approaches to identifying falls risk. Reported barriers to falls prevention included low capability to gather information on patient history, context, and community resources; limited opportunity to manage patient complexity due to time constraints; and challenges with motivating patients to engage in care plans. Reported facilitators included team-based interprofessional care and provider motivation., Conclusions: This study has found that Canadian primary care providers face barriers to identifying and managing falls risk. These barriers may be rooted in primary care culture, structure, and tradition., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES We have read and understood the Canadian Geriatrics Journal’s policy on conflicts of interest disclosure and declare that we have none., (© 2022 Author(s). Published by the Canadian Geriatrics Society.)

The objectives of our study were to understand researchers' current practices and perspectives on adverse event (AE) reporting in clinical trials of resistance training (RT) and to identify barriers and facilitators of AE reporting. We conducted web conference or telephone-based one-on-one semistructured interviews with 14 researchers who have published RT studies. We audio-recorded and transcribed the interviews and analyzed the data using the thematic framework method. Four themes were identified: (1) researchers lack guidance and/or motivation for rigorous AE reporting; (2) researchers who undertake AE reporting educate and value participants, use trained personnel, and implement standardized guidelines; (3) suboptimal implementation of existing AE reporting standards and the perception that available guidelines do not apply to exercise trials; and (4) acceptability and feasibility of an exercise-specific guide for AE reporting depend on its content and format. In conclusion, AE reporting methods in the field of exercise science do not align with best practice. Strategies to reduce inconsistent and suboptimal AE reporting in RT trials are urgently needed and could be based on the barriers and facilitators identified in this study.

Background: Models, theories, and frameworks (MTFs) provide the foundation for a cumulative science of implementation, reflecting a shared, evolving understanding of various facets of implementation. One under-represented aspect in implementation MTFs is how intersecting social factors and systems of power and oppression can shape implementation. There is value in enhancing how MTFs in implementation research and practice account for these intersecting factors. Given the large number of MTFs, we sought to identify exemplar MTFs that represent key implementation phases within which to embed an intersectional perspective., Methods: We used a five-step process to prioritize MTFs for enhancement with an intersectional lens. We mapped 160 MTFs to three previously prioritized phases of the Knowledge-to-Action (KTA) framework. Next, 17 implementation researchers/practitioners, MTF experts, and intersectionality experts agreed on criteria for prioritizing MTFs within each KTA phase. The experts used a modified Delphi process to agree on an exemplar MTF for each of the three prioritized KTA framework phases. Finally, we reached consensus on the final MTFs and contacted the original MTF developers to confirm MTF versions and explore additional insights., Results: We agreed on three criteria when prioritizing MTFs: acceptability (mean = 3.20, SD = 0.75), applicability (mean = 3.82, SD = 0.72), and usability (median = 4.00, mean = 3.89, SD = 0.31) of the MTF. The top-rated MTFs were the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice to Promote Quality Care for the 'Identify the problem' phase (mean = 4.57, SD = 2.31), the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research for the 'Assess barriers/facilitators to knowledge use' phase (mean = 5.79, SD = 1.12), and the Behaviour Change Wheel for the 'Select, tailor, implement interventions' phase (mean = 6.36, SD = 1.08)., Conclusions: Our interdisciplinary team engaged in a rigorous process to reach consensus on MTFs reflecting specific phases of the implementation process and prioritized each to serve as an exemplar in which to embed intersectional approaches. The resulting MTFs correspond with specific phases of the KTA framework, which itself may be useful for those seeking particular MTFs for particular KTA phases. This approach also provides a template for how other implementation MTFs could be similarly considered in the future., Trial Registration: Open Science Framework Registration: osf.io/qgh64., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The field of knowledge translation (KT) has been criticized for neglecting contextual and social considerations that influence health equity. Intersectionality, a concept introduced by Black feminist scholars, emphasizes how human experience is shaped by combinations of social factors (e.g., ethnicity, gender) embedded in systemic power structures. Its use has the potential to advance equity considerations in KT. Our objective was to develop and conduct usability testing of tools to support integrating intersectionality in KT through three key phases of KT: identifying the gap; assessing barriers to knowledge use; and selecting, tailoring, and implementing interventions., Methods: We used an integrated KT approach and assembled an interdisciplinary development committee who drafted tools. We used a mixed methods approach for usability testing with KT intervention developers that included semi-structured interviews and the System Usability Scale (SUS). We calculated an average SUS score for each tool. We coded interview data using the framework method focusing on actionable feedback. The development committee used the feedback to revise tools, which were formatted by a graphic designer., Results: Nine people working in Canada joined the development committee. They drafted an intersectionality primer and one tool that included recommendations, activities, reflection prompts, and resources for each of the three implementation phases. Thirty-one KT intervention developers from three countries participated in usability testing. They suggested the tools to be shorter, contain more visualizations, and use less jargon. Average SUS scores of the draft tools ranged between 60 and 78/100. The development committee revised and shortened all tools, and added two, one-page summary documents. The final toolkit included six documents., Conclusions: We developed and evaluated tools to help embed intersectionality considerations in KT. These tools go beyond recommending the use of intersectionality to providing practical guidance on how to do this. Future work should develop guidance for enhancing social justice in intersectionality-enhanced KT., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: This 8-week pilot stepped-wedge randomized controlled trial evaluated the MoveStrong program for teaching adults who have frailty/pre-frailty about balance and functional strength training and sufficient protein intake to prevent falls and improve mobility., Methods: We recruited individuals aged 60 years and over, with a FRAIL scale score of 1 or higher and at least one chronic condition, who were not currently strength training. The program included 16 exercise physiologist-led hour-long group sessions and two dietitian-led hour-long nutrition sessions. We analyzed secondary outcomes-weight, gait speed, grip strength, physical capacity (fatigue levels), sit-to-stand functioning, dynamic balance, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), physical activity levels and protein intake-using a paired t test and a generalized estimating equation (GEE)., Results: Of 44 participants (mean [SD] age 79 [9.82] years), 35 were pre-frail and 9 were frail. At follow-up, participants had significantly improved grip strength (1.63 kg, 95% CI: 0.62 to 2.63); sit-to-stand functioning (2 sit-to-stands, 95% CI: 1 to 3); and dynamic balance (1.68 s, 95% CI: 0.47 to 2.89). There were no significant improvements in gait speed, HRQoL index scores, self-rated health, physical activity levels (aerobic activity and strength training) or protein intake. GEE analysis revealed an interaction between exposure to MoveStrong and gait speed, sit-to-stand functioning, dynamic balance and HRQoL index scores. The total cost to administer the program and purchase equipment was CAD 14 700, equivalent to CAD 377 per participant., Conclusion: Exploratory analyses suggest MoveStrong exercises may improve gait speed, sit-to-stand functioning, dynamic balance and HRQoL index scores in older individuals who are frail and pre-frail., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

This systematic review examined the effect of Pilates on health-related outcomes in individuals with increased fracture risk to inform the 2021 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Osteoporosis and Fracture Prevention in Canada. Seven electronic databases were searched to December 2020. Studies of Pilates in men and postmenopausal women aged ≥50 years with low bone mineral density (BMD), history of fragility fracture, or moderate-high risk of fragility fracture were included. Two reviewers independently screened studies and performed risk of bias assessment. Of 7286 records and 504 full-text articles, 5 studies were included, encompassing data from 143 participants (99% female). Data were insufficient for meta-analyses. There is low-certainty evidence that Pilates improved physical functioning and health-related quality of life. The effect of Pilates on falls and BMD is uncertain. No evidence was available for the effect of Pilates on mortality, fractures, or adverse events. Overall, Pilates may improve physical functioning and quality of life. Evidence of benefits relative to harms of Pilates in people with increased fracture risk, particularly males, is limited. PROSPERO registration: CRD42019122685. Novelty: Pilates may improve physical functioning and quality of life in women with osteoporosis. Evidence of the effect of Pilates on BMD, falls, fractures, or adverse events is limited.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the association between pain and the number, severity, and location of fractures in women with osteoporotic vertebral fractures. Method: We used an 11-point numeric pain rating scale to assess pain during movement in the preceding week and lateral spinal radiographs to confirm number, location, and severity of vertebral fractures. In model 1, we assessed the association between pain during movement and the number, severity, and location of fractures. We adjusted model 2 for pain medication use and age. Results: The mean age of participants was 76.4 (SD 6.9) years. We found no statistically significant associations between pain and fracture number (estimated β = 0.23, 95% CI: -0.27, 0.68), fracture severity (estimated β = -0.46, 95% CI: -1.38, 0.49), or fracture location at T4-T8 (estimated β = 0.06, 95% CI: -1.26, 1.34), T9-L1 (estimated β = 0.35, 95% CI: -1.17, 1.74), or L2-L4 (estimated β = 0.40, 95% CI: -1.01, 1.75). Age and pain medication use were not significantly associated with pain. Model 1 accounted for 4.7% and model 2 for 7.2% of the variance in self-reported pain. Conclusion: The number, location, and severity of fractures do not appear to be the primary explanation for pain in women with vertebral fractures. Clinicians must consider other factors contributing to pain., (© Canadian Physiotherapy Association.)

We summarized the effects of yoga on health-related outcomes and adverse events in men and postmenopausal women ≥50 years-old at increased risk of fracture, to inform the updated Osteoporosis Canada clinical practice guidelines. Six databases were searched for observational studies, randomized controlled trials and case series. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation handbook. Nine studies were included and reported using narrative syntheses due to the limited available evidence. Overall, the available evidence was of very low certainty. There was no effect of yoga on health-related quality of life in randomized trials. Effects on other health-related outcomes were mixed or not available in the literature. Five studies reported no adverse events directly related to the study intervention, and 2 studies did not report whether adverse events occurred. However, 2 case series reported vertebral fractures related to yoga participation, possibly due to excessive spinal flexion. Due to the limited and very low certainty evidence, guideline developers will need to draw indirect evidence from yoga studies among middle aged or older adults that are not at fracture risk. PROSPERO: CRD42019124898. Novelty: Evidence in general was of very low certainty. Yoga had no effect on health-related quality of life in randomized trials. Evidence was mixed or unavailable for other outcomes. Case studies reported yoga poses involving spinal flexion coincided with incidents of vertebral compression fracture among older adults with increased fracture risk.

Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Assessment (ASA24) is an economical method of estimating dietary intake as nutrient analysis is automated, but its use in older adults is limited. The purpose of this work was to guide dietitians and future researchers on how to use the ASA24 with older adults, considering potential barriers encountered and strategies used to support completion based on our experience using this tool in a pilot clinical trial. ASA24 was completed by phone interview with 39 older adults. Challenges included: recalling food intake in detail, recording frequent eating occasions and complicated recipes, and general problems with communication. Strategies to support collection included making morning phone calls and suggesting that seniors write down the food consumed. Phone interviews were acceptable to older adults, but sufficient time was required. Dietitians and future researchers can use these findings to obtain dietary intake data from this hard-to-reach group.

The prevalence of self-reported and DXA-confirmed osteoporosis was 7.8% (males 2.2%; females 12.7%), and 3.6% (males 1.2%; females 5.9%), respectively. We found that most community-dwelling older adults at high fracture risk are not taking osteoporosis medication, particularly males. There is a major opportunity for improved primary fracture prevention in the community., Purpose: To provide an up-to-date prevalence estimate of osteoporosis, fracture risk factors, fracture risk, and the proportion of older Canadians at high fracture risk who are not taking an osteoporosis medication., Methods: We included Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) participants: a community-dwelling cohort aged 45 to 85 years who completed the baseline (2015) comprehensive interview and had dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans (N = 30,097). We describe the age- and sex-stratified prevalence of (1) self-reported osteoporosis; (2) DXA-confirmed osteoporosis; (3) fracture risk factors and people who are at high risk (FRAX® major osteoporotic fracture probability ≥ 20%); and (4) people who are at high fracture risk not taking osteoporosis medications. Sampling weights, as defined by the CLSA, were applied., Results: The mean age of participants was 70.0 (SD 10.3). Overall, 7.8% had self-reported osteoporosis (males 2.2%; females 12.7%) while 3.6% had DXA-confirmed osteoporosis (males 1.2%; females 5.9%), and 2.8% were at high fracture risk (males 0.3%; females 5.1%). Of people who had osteoporosis and were at high risk, 77.3% were not taking an osteoporosis medication (males 92.3%; females 76.8%)., Conclusions: Our study provides an up-to-date prevalence estimate of osteoporosis for community-dwelling older Canadians. We found that most community-dwelling older adults at high fracture risk are not taking an osteoporosis medication, particularly males. There is a major opportunity for improved primary fracture prevention in the community., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Walking is a common activity among older adults. However, the effects of walking on health-related outcomes in people with low bone mineral density (BMD) are unknown. The authors included randomized controlled trials comparing walking to control in individuals aged ≥50 years with low BMD and at risk of fractures. The authors identified 13 randomized controlled trials: nine multicomponent interventions including walking, one that was walking only, and three Nordic walking trials. Most studies had a high risk of bias. Nordic walking may improve the Timed Up-and-Go values (1.39 s, 95% CI [1.00, 1.78], very low certainty). Multicomponent interventions including walking improved the 6-min walk test (39.37 m, 95% CI [21.83, 56.91], very low certainty) and lumbar spine BMD (0.01 g/cm2, 95% CI [0.00, 0.03], low certainty evidence). The effects on quality of life or femoral neck BMD were not significant. There were insufficient data on fractures, falls, or mortality. Nordic walking may improve physical functioning. The effects on other outcomes are less certain; one may need to combine walking with other exercises to be of benefit.

Background: Balance and functional strength training can improve muscle strength and physical functioning outcomes and decrease the risk of falls in older adults. To maximize the benefits of strength training, adequate protein intake is also important. However, the number of older individuals that consume enough protein or routinely engage in strength training remains low at less than 5% and even lower for activities that challenge balance. Our primary aim was to assess the feasibility of implementing a model (MoveStrong) of service delivery to teach older adults about balance and functional strength training and methods to increase protein intake., Methods: This study was a closed cohort stepped wedge randomized controlled trial. We recruited individuals ≥60 years considered pre-frail or frail with at least one chronic condition who were not currently engaging in regular strength training from Northern (rural) and Southern (urban) Ontario sites in Canada. The primary outcome was feasibility of implementation, defined by recruitment, retention, and adherence, and safety (defined by monitoring adverse events). We also reported participants' and providers' experience with MoveStrong, adaptations to the model based on participant's and provider's experience, and program fidelity., Results: We recruited 44 participants to the study and the average adherence rate was 72% with a retention of 71%. The program had a high-fidelity score. One person experienced a fall-related injury during exercise, while two other participants reported pain during certain activities. Five individuals experienced injuries or health problems that were not related to the program. Suggestions for future trials include modifying some exercises, exploring volunteer assistance, increasing the diversity of participants enrolled, and considering a different study design., Conclusions: Our pilot trial demonstrates the feasibility of recruitment and adherence for a larger multisite RCT of balance and functional strength training with attention to protein intake in pre-frail and frail older adults., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

We reviewed exercise trials in men and women ≥ 45 years with hyperkyphosis at the baseline and performed meta-analyses for kyphosis and health-related outcomes., Purpose: To determine the effects of exercise interventions on kyphosis angle, back extensor muscle strength or endurance, physical functioning, quality of life, pain, falls, and adverse events in adults 45 years or older with hyperkyphosis., Methods: Multiple databases were searched to May 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCT, and pre-post intervention studies that had at least one group with a mean kyphosis angle of at least 40° at the baseline were included., Results: Twenty-four studies were included. Exercise or physical therapy improved kyphosis outcomes (SMD - 0.31; 95% confidence intervals [CI] - 0.46, - 0.16; moderate certainty evidence), back extensor muscle strength (MD 10.51 N; 95% CI 6.65, 14.38; very low certainty evidence), and endurance (MD 9.76 s; 95% CI 6.40, 13.13; low certainty evidence). Meta-analyses showed improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (SMD 0.21; 95% CI 0.06, 0.37; moderate certainty of evidence), general pain (MD - 0.26; 95% CI - 0.39, - 0.13; low certainty of evidence), and performance on the timed up and go (TUG) test (MD - 0.28 s; 95% CI - 0.48, - 0.08; very low certainty of evidence). The effects on the rate of falls (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.15; 95% CI 0.64, 2.05; low certainty evidence) or minor adverse events (IRR 1.29; 95% CI 0.95, 1.74; low certainty evidence) are uncertain. No serious adverse events were reported in the included studies., Conclusions: Interventions targeting hyperkyphosis may improve kyphosis outcomes in adults with hyperkyphosis., (© 2021. International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation.)

Background: Older adults in long-term care (LTC) homes experience high rates of fractures, which are detrimental to their quality of life. The purpose of this study is to identify and make recommendations on strategies to implementing an evidence-based Fracture Risk Clinical Assessment Protocol (CAP) in LTC., Methods: Following the Behaviour Change Wheel framework, we conducted six focus group interviews with a total of 32 LTC stakeholders (e.g. LTC physicians) to identify barriers and facilitators, suggest implementation strategies, and discuss whether the identified strategies were affordable, practicable, effective, acceptable, safe, and if they promote equity (APEASE). The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content analysis., Results: Themes of implementation strategies that met the APEASE criteria were minimizing any increase in workload, training on CAP usage, education for residents and families, and persuasion through stories. Other strategy themes identified were culture change, resident-centred care, physical restructuring, software features, modeling in training, education for staff, social rewards, material rewards, public benchmarking, and regulations., Conclusions: To implement the Fracture Risk CAP in LTC, we recommend using implementation strategies centred around minimizing any increase in workload, training on CAP usage, providing education for residents and families, and persuading through stories. Through improving implementation of the fracture risk CAP, results from this work will improve identification and management of LTC residents at high fracture risk and could inform the implementation of guidelines for other conditions in LTC homes., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To develop a fracture risk Clinical Assessment Protocol (CAP) based on long-term care (LTC) fracture prevention recommendations and an embedded fracture risk assessment tool., Design: A modified Delphi consensus approach including 2 survey rounds and a face-to-face meeting was implemented to reach consensus on matching of LTC fracture prevention guideline statements to Fracture Risk Scale (FRS) risk levels., Setting and Participants: A national panel of recognized experts in osteoporosis, fractures, and long-term care, including an LTC resident and family members., Methods: Round 1 survey respondents (n = 24) were provided the LTC fracture prevention guidelines matched to FRS risk levels and were asked whether they agreed the guideline was appropriate for the risk level (yes, no, I don't know, I agree with some but not all of it) and to provide comments. In round 2, guideline statements that did not achieve consensus (≥80% agreement) were revised consistent with comments provided in round 1 and respondents were asked again if they agreed with the guideline statement. Statements that did not achieve consensus were to be discussed and resolved in an in-person meeting (n = 17)., Results: In round 1 (75% response rate), consensus was achieved in 7/14 guideline statements. In round 2 (56% response rate), 5 statements were revised based on round 1 feedback and for 2 statements additional information was provided. Consensus was achieved in all but one statement related to the inappropriateness of pharmacologic therapy for residents with life expectancy less than 1 year. Following facilitated meeting discussions, consensus was obtained to revise the guideline statement to reflect that life expectancy was but one of several criteria that should be used to inform medication decisions., Conclusions and Implications: An evidence-based fracture risk CAP was developed that will be embedded in international routine clinical assessment tools to guide fracture prevention in LTC., (Copyright © 2020 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Trunk muscle endurance may be associated with balance and falls self-efficacy for people with osteoporosis. However, all previous studies have examined trunk muscle strength rather than endurance., Purpose: To explore the relationships between trunk muscle endurance and standing balance and falls self-efficacy for women with vertebral fractures., Materials and Methods: This is an exploratory, secondary analysis of baseline data of a pilot randomized controlled trial in Ontario, Canada. Thirty-one women with osteoporosis, aged 65 years or older, with at least one vertebral fracture were included. The associations between balance (Balance Outcome Measure for Elder Rehabilitation) and trunk muscle endurance (Timed Loaded Standing Test) and falls self-efficacy (Falls Efficacy Scale International) and trunk muscle endurance were tested via Spearman rank order correlation with Fisher's z transformations., Results: Trunk muscle endurance was correlated with better balance performance on the Balance Outcome Measure for Elder Rehabilitation [Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.71; 95% confidence interval: 0.47-0.85; p  < 0.001], but not with falls self efficacy (Spearman correlation coefficient; -0.22; 95% confidence interval: -0.53 to 0.14; p  = 0.23)., Conclusions: Trunk muscle endurance was moderately associated with better standing balance performance but not falls self-efficacy, highlighting the importance of trunk muscle endurance for standing balance for older adults with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures.Implications for RehabilitationOlder adults with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures who have better trunk muscle endurance may also have better standing balance.There was no association between trunk muscle endurance and how confident a person is that they will not fall while completing various activities of daily living.Trunk muscle endurance training could be included as part of a standing balance rehabilitation program for this population.

Background: The long-term care setting poses unique challenges and opportunities for effective knowledge translation. The objectives of this review are to (1) synthesize barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based guidelines in long-term care, as defined as a home where residents require 24-h nursing care, and 50% of the population is over the age of 65 years; and (2) map barriers and facilitators to the Behaviour Change Wheel framework to inform theory-guided knowledge translation strategies., Methods: Following the guidance of the Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group Guidance Series and the ENTREQ reporting guidelines, we systematically reviewed the reported experiences of long-term care staff on implementing evidence-based guidelines into practice. MEDLINE Pubmed, EMBASE Ovid, and CINAHL were searched from the earliest date available until May 2021. Two independent reviewers selected primary studies for inclusion if they were conducted in long-term care and reported the perspective or experiences of long-term care staff with implementing an evidence-based practice guideline about health conditions. Appraisal of the included studies was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklist and confidence in the findings with the GRADE-CERQual approach., Findings: After screening 2680 abstracts, we retrieved 115 full-text articles; 33 of these articles met the inclusion criteria. Barriers included time constraints and inadequate staffing, cost and lack of resources, and lack of teamwork and organizational support. Facilitators included leadership and champions, well-designed strategies, protocols, and resources, and adequate services, resources, and time. The most frequent Behaviour Change Wheel components were physical and social opportunity and psychological capability. We concluded moderate or high confidence in all but one of our review findings., Conclusions: Future knowledge translation strategies to implement guidelines in long-term care should target physical and social opportunity and psychological capability, and include interventions such as environmental restructuring, training, and education., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Case-Finding for Complex Chronic Conditions in Seniors 75+ (C5-75) is a systematic approach to identify frailty using gait speed and hand-grip strength and to screen for co-morbid conditions. We identified the C5-75 features offering the highest yield for identifying frailty and to streamline the screening program. Analyses included 1,948 C5-75 assessments completed from 2013 to 2018. Age 85 or older, less than regular physical activity, and more than two falls in the previous six months had the strongest associations with frailty. Exempting patients under 85 who reported regular physical activity and less than two falls excluded 39.1 per cent of the cohort while maintaining a sensitivity of 95.2 per cent and a negative predictive value of 99.4 per cent for frailty. These findings provide insight into optimizing screening for frailty, making it more feasible to implement and to identify co-existing conditions that may contribute to or be affected by frailty.

Background: Exercise is commonly recommended to prevent and manage osteoporosis. High magnitude strains at rapid rate and short bouts should theoretically elicit an osteogenic response; however, the effects of different levels of impact exercises on several outcomes in people at risk of fracture are still unknown., Objective: To report the effect of impact exercise on falls, fractures, adverse events, mortality, bone mineral density (BMD), physical functioning, and health-related quality of life (QoL)., Methods: We included randomized controlled trials testing the effect of impact exercise compared with a non-exercise control on outcomes in adults ≥ 50 years with low BMD or fragility fractures. Two reviewers selected studies and extracted data. Where possible, we pooled outcomes using mean difference (MD) with a fixed-effects model and 95% confidence interval (CI). We reported risk of bias using Cochrane and certainty of evidence using GRADE., Results: We included 29 trials; 19 studies evaluated impact exercise alone, and the remaining trials combined impact with resistance or balance training. Impact exercise alone or combined with resistance training improved Timed Up-and-Go values (MD - 0.95 s, 95% CI - 1.09 to - 0.81, low certainty evidence) and lumbar spine (MD 0.04 g/cm 2 , 95% CI 0.02-0.06, low certainty evidence) and femoral neck BMD (MD 0.04 g/cm 2 , 95% CI 0.02-0.07, low certainty evidence). Impact exercise did not improve health-related QoL assessed with QUALEFFO-41 (MD 0.06, 95% CI - 2.18 to 2.30, moderate certainty evidence). The effects of impact exercise on falls, fractures, and mortality are uncertain due to insufficient data. Many trials had a high risk of bias for two or more items., Conclusions: There is low certainty evidence that impact exercise may improve physical function and BMD in people at risk of fracture. The effect of impact exercises on falls, fractures, and mortality remains unclear. Our findings should be interpreted with caution due to risk of bias and small sample sizes., Trial Registration: Registered in Prospero (CRD42018115579) on January 30, 2019.

Physical activity questionnaires exist, but effective implementation in primary care remains an issue. We sought to develop a physical activity screen (PAS) for electronic medical record (EMR) integration by 1) identifying healthcare professionals' (HCPs), patients' and stakeholders' barriers to and preferences for physical activity counselling in primary care; and 2) using the information to co-create the PAS. We conducted semi-structured interviews with primary care HCPs, patients and stakeholders, and used content and thematic analyses to inform iterative co-design of the PAS. Interviews with 38 participants (mean age 41 years) resulted in 2 themes: 1) HCPs are willing to conduct physical activity screening, but acknowledge they don't do it well; and 2) HCPs have limited opportunity and capacity to discuss physical activity, and need a streamlined process for EMR that goes beyond quantifying physical activity. HCPs, patients and stakeholders co-designed a physical activity screen for integration into the EMR that can be tested for feasibility and effects on HCP behaviour and patients' physical activity levels. Novelty: EMR-integration of physical activity screening needs to go beyond just asking about physical activity minutes. Primary care professionals have variable knowledge and time, and need physical activity counselling prompts and resources. We co-developed a physical activity EMR tool with patients and primary care providers.

Objectives: The purpose of our study was to identify factors that predict 1-year incident hip and major osteoporotic non-hip fractures (ie, wrist, spine, pelvis, humerus) for home care recipients while accounting for the competing risk of death., Design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study with linked population data., Setting and Participants: All home care recipients in Ontario, Canada, receiving services for more than 6 months with an admission assessment between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2015, were included., Methods: Clinical data from the Resident Assessment Instrument Home Care were linked to fracture data from the Discharge Abstract Database and the National Acute Care Reporting System. Competing risk proportional hazard regressions using the Fine and Grey method were performed to model the association between potential risk factors and fracture., Results: Previous fall, previous fracture, cognitive impairment, unsteady gait, alcohol use, tobacco use, and Parkinson disease were consistently associated with all fracture types. Cognitive impairment (hazard ratio 2.09; 95% confidence interval 1.86-2.36) and wandering [1.66 (1.06-1.27)] were most predictive of hip fractures and being female [1.86 (1.76-1.98)] and experiencing a previous fracture [1.86 (1.76-1.98)] were most predictive of non-hip fractures. Risk factors unique to non-hip fractures as compared with hip fractures were locomotion ability outdoors and psychotropic medication use., Conclusions and Implications: Our results indicate that, in addition to typical fracture risk factors, home care recipients have unique characteristics that increase their risk. Fracture risk assessment tools and subsequent prevention strategies should be modified to accurately identify home care recipients at risk for imminent 1-year fracture., (Copyright © 2020 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)