title: Musculoskeletal profile of middle-aged Ving Tsun Chinese martial art practitioners: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: This cross-sectional exploratory study aimed to quantify and compare the axial and appendicular bone mineral density (BMD), muscle mass, and muscle strength of middle-aged practitioners of Ving Tsun (VT; a hard-style Chinese martial art) with those of nonpractitioners.Eighteen VT practitioners (mean age ± standard deviation = 51.8 ± 17.7 years; 12 men and six women) and 36 active controls (mean age ± standard deviation = 58.7 ± 11.0 years; 18 men and 18 women) participated in the study. All participants underwent a 1-day battery of musculoskeletal examinations. The BMD of the total radius, total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, as was the lean mass of the arm, leg, and trunk. Muscle strength of the upper and lower limbs was assessed using a Jamar dynamometer and an isokinetic dynamometer at 60°/second, respectively.VT-trained participants had a 11.5% higher total radius BMD (P = 0.023), a 17.8% higher leg lean mass (P = 0.014), a 56.4% higher isokinetic body weight-adjusted peak torque of the knee extensors (P < 0.001), a 60.8% higher isokinetic body weight-adjusted peak torque of knee flexors (P < 0.001), and a 31.4% shorter time to reach peak torque in the knee flexors (P = 0.001) than the active controls. No significant differences were found in any of the other musculoskeletal outcomes between the 2 groups (P > 0.05).Middle-aged VT practitioners displayed a higher total radius BMD and leg lean mass and better knee extensor and flexor muscular performances than their healthy active counterparts. Healthcare professionals may consider using this alternative method of training to improve the musculoskeletal health of middle-aged adults.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine Centre on Behavioral Health, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Department of Operation and Support, CJ Futures Management Institute, Republic of Korea Department of Health and Physical Education, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: Shirley S M
authors.initials: SSM
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Jessie S M
authors.initials: JSM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Young-Hyeon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Timothy T T
authors.initials: TTT
authors.lastname: Yam
authors.forename: Louisa M Y
authors.initials: LMY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Ada W W
authors.initials: AWW
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Raija
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuisma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016139:Martial Arts / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology