Physical Exercise and Bone Mass
One of the best preventative measures against osteoporotic
fractures in old age is to build the strongest bones possible during infancy
and adolescence, a time when there is rapid bone growth which, in turn, is a
determining factor in the acquisition of a higher level of peak bone mass (PBM)
at the end of adolescence. This stage is an ideal period to positively
influence the conditioning factors of bone mass with the aim of achieving a
better acquisition of bone. One of the conditioning factors is physical
exercise, and this is the study objective of this project.
In order to obtain the benefits of physical activity,
exercise should focus on the areas of the skeleton which are most vulnerable to
illnesses, for example the hips and the lumbar column. In sports such as
basketball, which have high muscular-skeletal impact and involve a lot of
jumping, the mechanical load on the hips and lumbar column is significant. As a
consequence, it is thought that there will likewise be noticeable benefits to
bone mass in these areas.
Different studies have shown that top sportspeople and
people who do a lot of exercise develop significant differences in bone mass in
the areas affected compared with inactive subjects. These important differences
could be caused by an accumulative effect in sportspeople, an aspect that is
yet to be explained as there have been very few prospective studies into this
matter.
The evaluation of the role of physical activity during a
long period in the majority of cases is assessed in retrospective studies in
which the value is lost due to the inaccuracy in the quantification of the
physical exercise.
Team
- Dr.
Caritat Bagur Calafat
- Dr.
Jordi Farrerons Minguella
- Dr.
Ramón Balius Matas
- Mr.
Azahara Fort Vanmeerhaeghe
Research projects
- Project 1: “The influence of
high-level, intensive basketball training and practice on the bone mass of
adolescent girls”
A study of the
prospective cohorts in which the participants were assigned to the study group
based on exposure to an intensive exercise programme in the form of basketball
practice at a high level. Monitoring was carried out over a four-year period in
which there was an annual evaluation of bone mass in different and relevant
areas (lumbar vertebral column, hips and wrist), as
well as an analysis of the different variables that could influence the
results.
The study revealed that the basketball players showed an increased acquisition
of bone mass in the hip and the lumbar vertebral column. They showed a higher
rate of bone acquisition in these areas over a longer period, whereas the bone
modelling processes of the girls in the control group tended to stabilise.
These differences between the two groups could be attributed to the different
level of physical exercise.
- Project 2: “The long term effect
produced by mechanical vibration training on bone mass, postural control and
the explosive strength of the lower limbs in top young sportspeople”
This involves a
random clinical study with a sample made up of 24 adolescents who are top
sportspeople. The study group will follow a mechanical vibration training
programme over a period of 18 weeks. The effect of this training system on bone
mass will be evaluated, as well as its effect on postural control and the
explosive strength of the lower limbs.
- Project 3: “The long term
evolution of the localised transformations in bone mass in competition level
tennis players and ex top tennis players”
Study of prospective cohorts with tennis players to evaluate localised
transformations in bone mass. A comparative study is carried out on the
dominant and non-dominant limb:
- Tennis players at different competition
levels of between 10 and 20 for the first basal evaluation; they will be
evaluated once again 10 years after the first assessment.
- Top
tennis players. Basal evaluation while they are still active. They are assessed
again 10 years later, once they have completed their sports career. The first
basal evaluation shows differences in the bone mass between the two limbs.
Being a unilateral discipline, it can be deduced that the benefits to the bone
mass are also unilateral confirming the specific transformations based on the
area which is most involved in the exercise.
Publications
Project 1:
- Bagur, C. «Influència de
l’entrenament intensiu i la pràctica del bàsquet d’alt nivell en la massa ósea
de noies adolescents». Tesi doctoral enviada para publicar en el TDX.
- Bagur, C. «Deporte y masa ósea.
Características del ejercicio físico que condicionan el modelage y remodelage
oseo». Revisión aceptada para publicar a la revista Apuntes de Medicina d l Deporte.
Ed Doyma y Consell Català de l’Esport.
-
Bagur, C. «Evolución ontogénica
de la masa ósea y influencia de la actividad física sobre el hueso en las
diferentes etapas de la vida». Revisión aceptada para publicar a la revista
Apuntes de Medicina del Deporte. Ed Doyma y Consell Català de l’Esport.
Project 3:
- Balius, R.; Bonet, N.;
Pacheco, L.; Parra, J.; Estruch, A.; Ruíz, A.; et al. «Valoración regional del
contenido y la densidad ósea en tenistas profesionales». Apuntes de Medicina
del Deporte. 37, 140 (2002), p. 25-38.