I am treating an interesting case of a young lady in her early 40s with multiple spinal fractures from the area between her shoulder blades to the base of her spine. Her spinal consultant has concluded that this is most likely due to softening of her bones due to a Vitamin D deficiency. This is the first case that I have seen of the frightening effects of this awful condition known medically as osteomalacia in adults or Rickets in children. We don’t expect this condition to be around in this modern age.  After months in a wheelchair she is progressing well through her rehabilitation but will have lifelong changes to her spinal curves and posture as a result.

Their is an increasing amount of media reports about the importance of Vit D and our health but wanted to write about this to remind everyone that this is a very real problem. The most effective way of increasing Vit D is by exposure to the sun but this of course increases the risk of skin cancer. Taking Vit D3 supplements is also effective if you are unable to get enough sun exposure. The Vitamin D council (http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/) has been set up to educate people on Vit D and is a useful resource if you want advice on dosage, sun exposure, foods to consume and the latest research.