title: Effect of treadmill exercise on lumbar vertebrae in ovariectomized rats: anthropometrical and mechanical analyses.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the preventive effect of exercise on lumbar vertebrae in ovariectomized rats. Three-month-old female Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: control group (A, n = 10); non-exercised ovariectomized group (B, n = 7) and exercised ovariectomized group (C, n = 7). The rats from group C were subjected to treadmill exercise (15 m/minute in the initial six weeks and 19 m/minute in the next six weeks, 1 hour/day, 4 days/week) for 12 weeks. At death, the fourth lumbar vertebrae were removed and an anthropometrical analysis by a paquimeter and a mechanical compression test by a universal test machine were performed. After 12 weeks, the ovariectomy decreased the superior-inferior vertebral height and the maximal braking load in group B compared to group A, while the exercise increased the vertebral mass in group C compared to both groups A and B (rho< 0.01) and the stiffness compared to group B. We concluded the physical activity has an important role to prevent the osteopenia in lumbar vertebrae.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bioengineering and Department of Biomechanics, Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Locomotor Apparatus,Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. arianezamarioli@usp.br
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zamarioli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blóes
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Mazzocato
authors.forename: L H A
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Volpon
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Shimano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar