Association Between Bone Mineral Density And Development Of High-Intensity Pain Or Pain-Related Disability In Community-Based Men: A 10-Year Prospective Cohort Study

Purpose: A common misconception amongst patients is that osteoporosis is painful. In contrast, current teaching is that low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis are assumed to be painless unless fracture occurs. However, the association between BMD and low back pain (LBP) has not been examined longitudinally in a community-based population, unselected with respect to BMD or back pain. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine whether BMD at different sites was associated with developing high-intensity LBP or high disability over 10 years in Australian men with no or low intensity back pain or disability.