The Influence of Organized Physical Activity (Including Gymnastics) on Young Adult Skeletal Traits: Is Maturity Phase Important?
We prospectively evaluated adolescent organized physical activity (PA) as a factor in adult female bone traits. Annual DXA scans accompanied semiannual records of anthropometry, maturity, and PA for 42 participants in this preliminary analysis (criteria: appropriately timed DXA scans at ~1 year premenarche [predictor] and ~5 years postmenarche [dependent variable]). Regression analysis evaluated total adolescent interscan PA and PA over 3 maturity subphases as predictors of young adult bone outcomes: 1) bone mineral content (BMC), geometry, and strength indices at nondominant distal radius and femoral neck; 2) subhead BMC; 3) lumbar spine BMC. Analyses accounted for baseline gynecological age (years pre- or postmenarche), baseline bone status, adult body size and interscan body size change. Gymnastics training was evaluated as a potentially independent predictor, but did not improve models for any outcomes (p > .07). Premenarcheal bone traits were strong predictors of most adult outcomes (semipartial r2 = .21-0.59, p ≤ .001). Adult 1/3 radius and subhead BMC were predicted by both total PA and PA 1-3 years postmenarche (p < .03). PA 3-5 years postmenarche predicted femoral narrow neck width, endosteal diameter, and buckling ratio (p < .05). Thus, participation in organized physical activity programs throughout middle and high school may reduce lifetime fracture risk in females.
School of Medicine &Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
Brittney
B
Bernardoni
Tamara A
TA
Scerpella
Paula F
PF
Rosenbaum
Jill A
JA
Kanaley
Lindsay N
LN
Raab
Quefeng
Q
Li
Sijian
S
Wang
Jodi N
JN
Dowthwaite
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D006173:Gymnastics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011884:Radius / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology