The Answer is Vitamin D! From Pediatrics to Geriatrics in Orthopaedics.

Overview

Vitamin D is necessary for the regulation of calcium and phosphate in the human body. Decreased vitamin D levels can alter the bone mineralization process. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the general population is high, and low vitamin D levels are associated with disorders such as rickets and osteoporosis. As knowledge about vitamin D metabolism increases, physicians of all specialties are becoming more attentive to the vitamin D status of their patients. Similarly, orthopaedic surgeons, through various initiatives such as "Own the Bone," are making greater efforts to medically manage skeletal disorders. Unfortunately, universal guidelines for the optimization of vitamin D levels have not been adopted by orthopaedic surgeons, and, despite substantial efforts, vitamin D is not an integral part of most orthopaedic residency training programs. Although this may be partially attributed to attitudes among orthopaedic surgeons, the large number of vitamin D recommendations in the literature may be confusing and require substantial effort to synthesize into a viable approach for a given patient. Despite this confusion, orthopaedic surgeons should understand how to diagnose and manage disorders related to vitamin D and calcium deficiency.