College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
J Bone Miner Res. 2012 Nov;27(11):2298-305. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.1689.
Young female gymnasts have greater bone strength compared to controls; although possibly due to selection into gymnastics, it is thought that their loading activity during growth increases their bone mass, influencing both bone geometry and architecture. If such bone mass and geometric adaptations are maintained, this may potentially decrease the risk of osteoporosis and risk of fracture later in life. However, there is limited evidence of the persisting benefit of gymnastic exercise during growth on adult bone geometric parameters. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether adult bone geometry, volumetric density, and estimated strength were greater in retired gymnasts compared to controls, 10 years after retirement from the sport. Bone geometric and densitometric parameters, measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at the radius and tibia, were compared between 25 retired female gymnasts and 22 controls, age range 22 to 30 years, by multivariate analysis of covariance (covariates: age, height, and muscle cross-sectional area). Retired gymnasts had significantly greater adjusted total and trabecular area (16%), total and trabecular bone mineral content (BMC) (18% and 22%, respectively), and estimated strength (21%) at the distal radius (p < 0.05) than controls. Adjusted total and cortical area and BMC, medullary area, and estimated strength were also significantly greater (13% to 46%) in retired gymnasts at the 30% and 65% radial shaft sites (p < 0.05). At the distal tibia, retired gymnasts had 12% to 13% greater total and trabecular BMC and volumetric bone mineral density as well as 21% greater estimated strength; total and cortical BMC and estimated strength were also greater at the tibial shaft (8%, 11%, and 10%, respectively) (p < 0.05). Former female gymnasts have significantly better geometric and densitometric properties, as well as estimated strength, at the radius and tibia 10 years after retirement from gymnastics compared to females who did not participate in gymnastics in childhood and adolescence.
年轻女性体操运动员的骨骼强度比对照组更大；尽管这可能是由于选择参加体操运动，但人们认为她们在生长过程中的负荷活动增加了骨量，影响了骨骼的几何形状和结构。如果这种骨量和几何结构的适应性得以维持，那么这可能会降低她们日后骨质疏松和骨折的风险。然而，关于体操运动对生长中的成年骨骼几何参数持续有益的证据有限。因此，本研究的目的是确定在退役 10 年后，与对照组相比，退役体操运动员的桡骨和胫骨的成人骨骼几何形状、体积密度和估计强度是否更大。通过对桡骨和胫骨进行外周定量计算机断层扫描（pQCT）测量的骨骼几何和密度参数，在年龄 22 至 30 岁的 25 名退役女性体操运动员和 22 名对照组之间进行了多元协方差分析（协变量：年龄、身高和肌肉横截面积）。与对照组相比，退役体操运动员的桡骨远端的总骨面积和小梁骨面积（分别增加了 16%和 22%）、总骨和小梁骨矿物质含量（BMC）（分别增加了 18%和 22%）以及估计强度（增加了 21%）均显著更高（p<0.05）。在桡骨的 30%和 65%骨干部位，退役体操运动员的总骨和皮质骨面积及 BMC、髓腔面积和估计强度也显著更高（增加了 13%至 46%）（p<0.05）。在胫骨远端，退役体操运动员的总骨和小梁骨 BMC 和体积骨密度增加了 12%至 13%，估计强度增加了 21%；胫骨骨干的总骨和皮质骨 BMC 和估计强度也更高（分别增加了 8%、11%和 10%）（p<0.05）。与童年和青少年时期未参加体操运动的女性相比，退役后的女性体操运动员的桡骨和胫骨的骨骼几何形状和密度以及估计强度的特征显著更好。
