Acute pain - pain which starts suddenly; may be described as severe or sharp

Alendronate - a bisphosphonate drug, available as Fosamax ® , used to treat and prevent osteoporosis

Amenorrhea - a loss of menstrual periods (usually for a period of 6 months or more)

American College of Rheumatology (ACR) - a professional health care organization that studies bone and joint diseases

Anorexia nervosa - a disorder caused by excessive fear of being overweight, that causes people to stop eating normally

Appendages - attachments, such as arms or legs, which are appended to the body

American Society for Bone & Mineral Research (ASBMR) - health organization that studies bone diseases

Asthma - disorder causing difficulty in breathing; wheezing when breathing in

Atraumatic fracture - a broken bone caused by falling from your own height (caused without trauma)

Baseline - any test or measurement taken before treatment or study entry

Biomechanical - how your body moves

Bisphosphonates - non-hormonal medications that regulate bone changes and are used to treat osteoporosis

Body Mass Index - a measure of weight that takes into account your height

Bok Choi/ Choy - a type of green leafy vegetable, rich in calcium; also known as Chinese cabbage

Bone & Mineral Group (BMG) - an organization which studies bone diseases

Bone densitometry - a method of measuring bone density and strength; a bone density test is used to diagnose osteoporosis

Bone metabolism - process of laying down healthy new bone to replace damaged bone

Bone mineral content (BMC) - a measurement of bone mass. That is expressed in grams (g)

Bone mineral density (BMD) - an indication of bone strength. BMD is measured in grams per square centimetre (gm/cm2) using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptimetry (DEXA)

Bone Remodelling - replacing old bone with new bone tissue

Bone turnover - replacing old bone with healthy new bone

Broadband Ultrasonic Attenuation (BUA) - refers to the loss of energy from the ultrasound beam as it passes through the bone

Calcitonin - a hormone secreted by the thyroid gland; available as a medication in an injectable form and as a nasal spray; used to treat osteoporosis and relieve pain caused by spinal fractures

Calcitriol - the active form of vitamin D which is available as a medication; used to improve calcium absorption

Calcium absorption (or calcium bioavailability) - the amount of calcium the body absorbs and uses from a food

Calcium Carbonate (CaC03) - a type of calcium supplement

Cardiovascular - the network of blood vessels, including the heart, that pump and transport blood throughout the body

Crohn's disease - a form of inflammatory bowel disease

Cohort - a group of similar individuals (eg. a group of postmenopausal women)

Collagen - a protein substance found in skin, tendons, bone and cartilage

Colles fracture - a fracture of the wrist

Cortical bone - the type of bone found mainly in the appendages (eg. arms, legs)

Corticosteroids (CS) - type of steroid drug often used for asthma and rheumatoid arthritis

Chronic pain - onging, recurring pain

Cyclosporin - drug given to transplant patients

Dermatomyositis - a disease which affects skin and muscle tissue

Dietary Reference Intakes ( DRIs) - a new scale showing recommended nutritional intakes for healthy people living in Canada and the United States

Dietitian - a health professional who specializes in nutrition and healthy eating. The term "Registered Dietitian" means that a person has completed the education requirements (set by the province) necessary to use this title. This includes a bachelor's degree and a period of supervised training in a hospital or community setting

Diuretic - a medication or substance that increases urination

Double blind study - neither the patient nor the doctor knows whether the patient is receiving the study drug or a placebo

Drug Identification Number (DIN) - a number issued by the Canadian government (Health Protection Branch) to each specific drug product

Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) - the gold standard test for measuring bone density; uses low energy x-ray to measure the strength of bones

Dual Photon Absorptiometry (DPA) - a test measuring bone density which uses two gamma ray source measurement

Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy - an inherited disorder, usually affecting boys, that causes muscle weakness

Elemental Calcium - the amount of calcium in a calcium supplement. For example, calcium carbonate is 40 percent calcium (1250 mg calcium carbonate yields 500 mg elemental calcium)

Endocrine - the endocrine system refers to glands that secrete hormones into the blood

Estrogen - the major female sex hormone (responsible for reproduction and the development of secondary female sex characteristics)

Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT) - given to postmenopausal women to replace the hormone no longer produced by their ovaries

Etidronate - a bisphosphonate drug, available as Didrocal® (with calcium) or Didronel® , used to treat osteoporosis

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - a United States governing body

Fat mass - the amount of fat, in grams (g), in the body

Femoral neck - a part of the hip bone, the part of the thigh bone that connects to the hip joint

Fig - a calcium containing fruit that can be eaten fresh or dried

Fortified milk - milk that has been enhanced with nutrients

Gastrointestinal - referring to the digestive tract (includes stomach and bowels)

General Product (GP) - a number found on drug products

Genetic disorder - caused by damage to the genes (or DNA)

Genetics - the study of heredity, by which traits are passed from parents to offspring

Greater trochanter - the area of bone found at the top part of the femur or thigh bone

Health Protection Branch (HPB) - is a Canadian governing body responsible for the review and approval of new drugs.

Heel ultrasound - a technique which uses ultrasound to measure the bone quality or bone density in the heel

Heparin - a medication that thins the blood to prevent blood clots

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) - the use of estrogen and progestin/progesterone in postmenopausal women

Hyperparathyroidism - excessive activity of the parathyroid glands (which are located near the thyroid gland in the neck)

Hyperthyroidism - excessive activity of the thyroid gland (which is found in the neck)

Hypogonadism - decreased activity of the male/female sex organs

International units - a standard unit of measure, used worldwide

Idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis - a rare condition where children have osteoporosis for no known reason

Intravenously - to deliver/receive/administer substances (usually medications or fluids) via injection into the veins

Inflammatory bowel disease - inflammation in the small or large intestine

Isosorbide Mononitrate - a heart medication used to increase blood flow to the heart and prevent chest pain; currently being studied for possible effects against osteoporosis

Kale - a type of green leafy vegetable

Kyphosis - also known as dowagers hump — the curving forward of the upper spine

L1 to L4 - first to fourth lumbar vertebrae in the lower back

Lordosis - a curve in the lower spine

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - a machine that uses magnetic forces to obtain detailed images of the body

Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC) - Canadian government body which funds scientific medical research

Menopause - when the ovaries shutdown and stop producing estrogen and progesterone

Muscular dystrophy - a muscle-destroying disease, characterized by degeneration of individual muscle fibres and cells

National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) - an organization based in the United States that is dedicated to helping people with osteoporosis

Non-invasive - does not involve penetration of the body (eg. no needles or tubes are used)

Occupational Therapist (OT ) - is a health professional who helps people diagnosed with, or recovering from, an illness to regain the ability to perform the activities of daily life

Oral Contraceptive Pill (OCP) - the birth control pill; hormones taken by women to prevent pregnancy

Osteoblast - a type of cell involved in bone remodelling that helps to build bone

Osteoclast resorption - osteoclasts are the cells that chew up bone; reabsorption is the term used to describe this process

Osteogenesis imperfecta - a genetic disorder that causes brittle bones that break very easily

Osteopenia - a mild bone loss as measured by DEXA when the T-score is less than -1.00

Osteoporosis - a disease in which bones become brittle due to a loss of bone mass (density) and a change in bone structure

Osteoporosis Society of Canada (OSC) - an organization dedicated to helping those with osteoporosis

Ovarian Replacement Therapy (ORT) - another term for ERT - estrogen replacement therapy

Pamidronate - a bisphosphonate drug currently under investigation for use with osteoporosis

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) - a substance secreted by the parathyroid gland which regulates calcium levels in the body

Peripheral - the end parts of something - as in the forearm and wrist, or ankle and foot of the body

Peripheral Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (pDEXA) - uses DEXA to measure bone density in the appendages

Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT) - measures bone density in the appendages

Phenytoin - drug used for epilepsy

Phosphorus - a mineral active in bone and tissue growth; found in many foods

Physiological - normal bodily functioning of organs and systems

Physiotherapist (PT) - a health professional who deals with exercise, activity and physical function

Phytoestrogens - estrogen-like substances derived from plants

Placebo - an inactive substance used in controlled studies to determine the effectiveness of medications

Postmenopausal - after menopause - describes a woman whose periods have ended, whose ovaries have stopped producing eggs, and whose hormonal levels have decreased

Postmenopausal Osteoporosis (PMO) - bone loss due to reduced levels of hormones

Predisposition - a tendency towards something

Prednisone - a corticosteroid drug

Primary Osteoporosis - osteoporosis that is not caused by some other disease or medication

Pyrophosphate - a form of phosphorus

Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) - a restricted test used to measure true mineral density

Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) - a method of assessing bone strength that uses high frequency sound waves

Radiograph (RA) - an x-ray picture of a part of the body, usually the bones

Raloxifene - a SERM drug, available as Evista®, used to prevent osteoporosis

Receptor - structure on the outside of cells to which substances circulating in the blood can attach

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) - a United States reference for daily nutrient consumption

Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNI) - recommended intakes of essential nutrients for a healthy population

Resistance-type exercises - exercises in which the muscle is acting against resistance (eg. weight training)

Resorption - chewing up of old bone by the osteoclasts

Risedronate - a bisphosphonate drug currently under investigation for use in treating osteoporosis

Secondary Osteoporosis - osteoporosis that is caused by a medication the person is taking or by a medical condition that the person has

Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) - a new class of medications that have ‘estrogen-like' effects

Severe Osteoporosis - measured by DEXA - a T-score below -2.5 with the presence of fractures

Single Photon Absortiometry (SPA) - a single energy gamma source which measures cortical bone in the peripheral skeleton

Sodium fluoride - a substance shown to increase bone formation; not commonly used and still under investigation

Standard Deviation (SD) - a consistent unit of measure above or below the average of a comparison group

Subcutaneously - delivering/receiving/administering substances (usually medication) via injection, just beneath the skin

Supplements - often refers to the addition of vitamins and minerals, in a pill form, to a person's diet

T-score - a measuring system used to detect standard deviations for a specific group - on a DEXA, compares a person to a group of young adults of the same sex

Testosterone - the major male sex hormone

Thyroid gland - an organ that is located at the front of the neck and is part of the endocrine system; secretes hormones that are important for normal body growth and metabolism

Tiludronate - a bisphosphonate drug currently under investigation for use with osteoporosis

Tofu - food product made from soybeans

Trabecular bones - type of bone mainly found in the spine; has a honeycomb-like structure

TRI-EST - a triple estrogen compound

Two-fold - double or 200 percent

Ultrasound - high frequency sound waves used to image internal structures of the body

United States Pharmacopoeia - a number on a drug which indicates that the product adheres to specific standards of the US government

Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) - a potential marker for bone mineral density that is found in the blood

Ward's triangle - an area in the top part of the femur or thigh bone, near the hip

Weight bearing exercise - exercise in which a person supports her own body weight (eg. walking, dancing)

World Health Organization (WHO) - an international organization whose mission is attainment of the highest possible level of health for all peoples

Z-score - a measuring system used to detect standard deviations for a specific group - on a DEXA compares a person to controls matched for age, weight, sex and race