Bone Microarchitecture and Strength Adaptation to Physical Activity: A Within-Subject Controlled, HRpQCT Study
Date
Language
Embargo Lift Date
Committee Members
Degree
Degree Year
Department
Grantor
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Found At
Abstract
Purpose Physical activity benefits bone mass and cortical bone size. The current study assessed the impact of chronic (≥10 years) physical activity on trabecular microarchitectural properties and micro-finite element (μFE) analyses of estimated bone strength.
Methods Female collegiate-level tennis players (n=15; age=20.3±0.9 yrs) were used as a within-subject controlled model of chronic unilateral upper-extremity physical activity. Racquet-to-nonracquet arm differences at the distal radius and radial diaphysis were assessed using high-resolution peripheral computed tomography (HRpQCT). The distal tibia and tibial diaphysis in both legs were also assessed, and cross-country runners (n=15; age=20.8±1.2 yrs) included as controls.
Results The distal radius of the racquet arm had 11.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.9 to 15.7%) greater trabecular bone volume/tissue volume, with trabeculae that were greater in number, thickness, connectivity, and proximity to each other than in the nonracquet arm (all p<0.01). Combined with enhanced cortical bone properties, the microarchitectural advantages at the distal radius contributed a 18.7% (95% CI, 13.0 to 24.4%) racquet-to-nonracquet arm difference in predicted load before failure. At the radial diaphysis, predicted load to failure was 9.6% (95% CI, 6.7 to 12.6%) greater in the racquet vs. nonracquet arm. There were fewer and smaller side-to-side differences at the distal tibia; however, the tibial diaphysis in the leg opposite the racquet arm was larger with a thicker cortex and had 4.4% (95% CI, 1.7 to 7.1%) greater strength than the contralateral leg.
Conclusion Chronically elevated physical activity enhances trabecular microarchitecture and μFE estimated strength, furthering observations from short-term longitudinal studies. The data also demonstrate tennis players exhibit crossed symmetry wherein the leg opposite the racquet arm possesses enhanced tibial properties compared to in the contralateral leg.