title: Bone density in competitive figure skaters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the bone mineral density (BMD) of competitive female teenage figure skaters with a history of fracture with the BMD of skaters without fracture and to compare each group to age-matched, nonathletic controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective age-matched cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care medical center and 3 local skating clubs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six adolescent female competitive skaters (10 with fracture, 26 without fracture) to 22 age-matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  BMD was estimated by quantitative ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Skaters who had suffered stress fractures had BMD values comparable with those of healthy nonathletic controls. However, skaters who had not suffered stress fractures had calcaneal BMD values 15% to 24% greater than either the controls or skaters with fractures. Among the skaters without fracture, there was a 14% to 19% higher calcaneal BMD in skaters who executed triple jumps relative to skaters who performed only double jumps. Furthermore, there was 7% to 11% greater BMD in the landing foot of the skaters relative to the takeoff foot.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stress fractures in adolescent skaters are not caused by low bone mass but may result from excessive forces placed on a normal skeleton. Our findings also support the hypothesis that higher peak forces are applied to the landing foot relative to the takeoff foot.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Physical Rehabilitation, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. ChristinaVOleson@msn.com
authors.forename: Christina V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Oleson
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Busconi
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Baran
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012861:Skating / Q000293:injuries*