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Endurance running prevents the age-related decline of calcaneal bone stiffness

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Abstract

Summary

This investigation presents a comparison of calcaneus bone stiffness of endurance runners of different ages and age-matched controls. We found that there was an age-associated decline in calcaneus bone stiffness in the control group while endurance runners prevented this decline, with a higher effect as the participants increased their age.

Purpose

Previous investigations have found that endurance runners have higher bone mineral density and other bone quality variables in mechanically loaded bones. However, it is unknown if endurance running might counteract the decline in bone stiffness that occurs with age. The purpose of this study was to compare calcaneus bone stiffness of endurance runners of different ages to age-matched controls.

Methods

In a descriptive cross-sectional study, 182 endurance-trained male runners and 116 healthy untrained male controls underwent an ultrasonographic assessment of the calcaneus bone in the right and left heels. Calcaneal bone stiffness was calculated from assessments of the broadband ultrasound attenuation and the speed of sound.

Results

The line of best fit for the association between age and calcaneus stiffness was different between marathoners and controls (Z =  − 2.1, P = 0.02). A two-way ANCOVA (condition × age) with body mass, and body mass index as covariates, revealed that there were main effects of condition (F = 26.8, P < 0.01) and age (F = 4.2, P < 0.01) for calcaneus stiffness, with a significant interaction between these two factors (F = 2.8, P = 0.03). The post hoc analysis revealed that calcaneus stiffness was significantly higher in marathoners of 40–44 years (121.5 ± 18.2 vs 101.1 ± 21.3 arbitrary units [A.U.], P = 0.01), 45–49 years (121.5 ± 19.7 vs 104.3 ± 13.4 A.U., P = 0.04), and > 50 years (111.2 ± 17.9 vs 92.4 ± 16.0 A.U., P < 0.01) than their untrained counterparts of the same age with no statistically significant differences in the remaining age groups.

Conclusion

Endurance runners of > 40 years had higher values of calcaneus stiffness than controls, providing evidence to support the potential effect of endurance running to reduce the age-related decline on calcaneus bone stiffness.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the participation of the subjects for their invaluable contributions to this study. In addition, we are very grateful for the Organization of the Rock’n’Roll Madrid Marathon & Half-Marathon for their contribution to the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain

    Diana Ruiz-Vicente, Teresa García-Pastor, Beatriz Lara, Juan José Salinero, Francisco Areces & César Gallo-Salazar

  2. Faculty of Sport Sciences, Castilla La Mancha University, Toledo, Spain

    Juan José Salinero, Javier Abián-Vicén & Fernando Jiménez

  3. Centre for Sport Studies, Rey Juan Carlos University, C/ Camino del Molino s/n., 28943, Fuenlabrada, Spain

    Juan Del Coso

Authors
  1. Diana Ruiz-Vicente
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  2. Teresa García-Pastor
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  4. Juan José Salinero
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  9. Juan Del Coso
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juan Del Coso.

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The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Camilo Jose Cela Ethics Committee in accordance with the latest version of the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Ruiz-Vicente, D., García-Pastor, T., Lara, B. et al. Endurance running prevents the age-related decline of calcaneal bone stiffness. Arch Osteoporos 16, 83 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-021-00942-5

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