title: Geometric indices of hip bone strength in male professional soccer players.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare geometric indices of hip bone strength in male professional soccer players and controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three male professional soccer players and 21 male sedentary subjects whose ages range between 18 and 30 years participated in this study. Weight and height were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Daily calcium intake and physical activity were evaluated using validated questionnaires. Hip bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). To evaluate hip bone geometry, DXA scans were analyzed at the narrow-neck (NN), the intertrochanteric (IT) region and the femoral shaft (FS) by the Hip Structure Analysis (HSA) program. Cross sectional area (CSA), an index of axial compression strength, cross sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), an index of structural rigidity, section modulus (Z), an index of bending strength, cortical thickness (CT) and buckling ratio (BR) were measured from bone mass profiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CSA, CSMI, Z and CT of the three regions (NN, IT and FS) were higher in soccer players compared to controls. After adjustment for either age, body weight, height or physical activity duration (h/week), CSA, CSMI, Z and CT of the three regions remained higher in soccer players compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that, in young adult males, soccer practice is associated with greater axial strength, bending strength and structural rigidity indices at the hip.
authors: Rawad
authors: R
authors: El Hage
authors: Eddy
authors: E
authors: Zakhem
authors: Gautier
authors: G
authors: Zunquin
authors: Denis
authors: D
authors: Theunynck
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult