Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bone quality in the lumbar spine in high-performance athletes

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Spine Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Little is known about the influence of high-performance training on the bone quality of the lumbar spine, in particular, the effects on bone mineral density (BMD) in athletes with high weight-bearing demands on the spine. Measurements were therefore performed in internationally top-ranked high-performance athletes of different disciplines (weight lifters, boxers, and endurance-cyclists). The measurements were carried out by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the results compared with the measurements of 21 age-matched male controls. The BMD of the high-performance weight lifters was greater than that of the controls by 24% (0.252 g/cm2) on the AP view and by 23% (0.200 g/cm2) on the lateral view (P<0.01), while difference in BMD between the boxers and the controls was+17% (0.174 g/cm2) on the AP view and +19% (0.174 g/cm2) on the lateral view. The BMD of the lumbar spine in all endurance cyclists was lower than that in the controls (AP view-10%, 0.105 g/cm2; lateral view-8%, 0.067 g/cm2; P>0.05). The results show that training program stressing axial loads of the skeleton may lead to a significant increase of BMD in the lumbar spine of young individuals. Other authors' findings that the BMD of endurance athletes may decrease are confirmed. Nevertheless the 10% BMD loss of cyclists was surprisingly high.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Allolio B, Lehmann R, Randerath O, Klein K (1991) Epidemiologische Untersuchung mit einem fahrbaren Densitometer. In: Milupa (ed) Osteoporose-Winterschule, Milupa, pp 122–127

  2. Ambrus AP, Böhmer D, Szögy A (1985) Boxsport. In: Pförringer W (ed) Sport-Trauma und Belastung. Thieme, Stuttgart, pp 78–83

    Google Scholar 

  3. Berkman D, Kukla D (1985) Radsport. In: Pförringer W (ed) Sport-Trauma und Belastung. Thieme, Stuttgart, pp 214–224

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bilanin JE, Blanchard MS, Russek-Cohen E (1989) Lower vertebral density in male long distance runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 21:66–70

    Google Scholar 

  5. Chow R, Harrison JE, Dornan J (1989) Prevention and rehabilitation of osteoporosis program: exercise and osteoporosis. Int J Rehabil Res 12:49–56

    Google Scholar 

  6. Chrischilles E, Shireman T, Wallace R (1994) Costs and health effects of osteoporotic fractures. Bone 15:377–386

    Google Scholar 

  7. Dalsky GP, Stocke KS, Ehsani AA (1988) Weight bearing exercise training and lumbar mineral content in postmenopausal women. Ann Intern Med 108:824–828

    Google Scholar 

  8. Doyle F, Brown J, Lachance C (1970) Relation between bone mass and muscle weight. Lancet 21:391–393

    Google Scholar 

  9. Felsenberg D, Kalender W, Rüegsegger P (1993) Osteodensitometrische Untersuchungsverfahren. Osteologie 2: 123–138

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fiedler H (1971) Die allgemeine körperliche Vorbereitung des Boxanfängers. Sportverlag, Berlin, pp 14–25

    Google Scholar 

  11. Finkelstein JS, Cleary RL, Butler JP, Antonelli R, Mitlak BH, Deraska DJ, Zamora-Quezada JC, Neer RM (1994) A comparison of lateral versus anterior-posterior spine dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 78:724–730

    Google Scholar 

  12. Granhed H, Ragnar J, Hansson T (1986) The loads on the lumbar spine during extreme weight lifiting. Spine 12:146–149

    Google Scholar 

  13. Hackney AC, Sinning W, Bruot BC (1988) Reproductive hormonal profiles of endurance-trained and untrained males. Med Sci Sports Exerc 20:60–65

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hahn TJ (1978) Corticosteroid-induced osteopenia. Arch Intern Med 138:882–885

    Google Scholar 

  15. Halioua L, Anderson JJ (1990) Age and anthropometric determinants of radial bone mass in premenopausal Caucasian women: a cross-sectional study. Osteoporos Int 1:50–55

    Google Scholar 

  16. Holbrook TL, Barret-Connor E (1993) The association of lifetime and weight control patterns with bone mineral density in adult community. Bone Miner 20:141–149

    Google Scholar 

  17. Jakobson PC, Beaver W, Grub SA, Taft TN, Talmadge RV (1984) Bone density in women: college athletes and older athletic women. J Orthop Res 2: 328–332

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kalender W (1991) Abschätzung der effectiven Dosis bei Knochendichtemessungen mit Photoabsorptionsmessungen und CT. Fortschr Röntgenstr 155:2

    Google Scholar 

  19. Karlsson MK, Johnell O, Obrant KJ (1993) Bone mineral density in weight lifters. Calcif Tissue Int 52:212–215

    Google Scholar 

  20. Konopka P (1981) Trainingsplan Radsport. BLV, Munich, pp 132–143

    Google Scholar 

  21. Luger A, Deuster PA, Kyle SB (1987) Acute hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response to the stress of treadmill exercise. N Engl J Med 316:1309–1315

    Google Scholar 

  22. MacConnie SE, Barkan A, Lampman RM, Schork MA, Beitins IZ (1987) Decreased hypothalamic-gonadotropin releasing hormone secretion in male marathon runners. N Engl J Med 315: 411–417

    Google Scholar 

  23. Marcus R, Cann C, Madvig P, Minkoff J, Goodhard M, Bayer M, Martin M, Gaudiani L, Haskaell W, Genant H (1985) Menstrual function and bone mass in elite women long distance runners. Ann Intern Med 102:158–163

    Google Scholar 

  24. Micozzi MS, Albanes D, Jones Y, Chumla WC (1986) Correlation of body mass indices with weight, stature and body composition in men and women in NHANES I and II. Am J Clin Nutr 44:725–731

    Google Scholar 

  25. Pirnay F, Bodeux M, Crielaard JM, Franchimont P (1987) Bone mineral content and physical activity. Int J Sports Med 8:331–335

    Google Scholar 

  26. Pruitt LA, Jackson RD, Bartels RL, Lehnhard HJ (1992) Weight-training effects in bone mineral density in early postmenopausal women. J Bone Miner Res 7:179–185

    Google Scholar 

  27. Rupich RC, Griffin MG, Pacifici R, Avioli RV, Susman N (1992) Lateral dual-energy-radiography: artefact error from rib and pelvic bone. J Bone Miner Res 7:97–101

    Google Scholar 

  28. Schapira D (1988) Physical exercise in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. J R Soc Med 81:641–643

    Google Scholar 

  29. Schmitt WM, Schnabel A, Kindermann W (1983) Hormonal responses to marathon running in children and adolescents. Int J Sports Med 4:68–70

    Google Scholar 

  30. Seemann E, Melton LJ, O'Fallon WM, Riggs BL (1983) Risk factors of spinal osteoporosis in men. Am J Med 75: 977–983

    Google Scholar 

  31. Slosman DO, Rizzoli R, Donath A, Bonjour J (1990) Vertebral bone mineral density measured laterally by dual-X-ray-absorptiometry. Osteoporos Int 1:23–29

    Google Scholar 

  32. Virvidakis K, Georgiou E, Korkotsidis A, Ntalles K, Proukalis C (1990) Bone mineral content of junior competitive weight lifters. Int J Sports Med 250:291–296

    Google Scholar 

  33. Wheeler GD, Wall SR, Belcastro AN, Cumming D (1984) Reduced serum testosterone and prolactine levels in male distance runners. J Am Med Assoc 252:514–516

    Google Scholar 

  34. Wurster KG, Zwirner M, Keller E, Schindler AE, Schrode M, Heikamp H (1983) Discipline specific differences in the response of pituitary, gonadal and adrenal hormones to maximal physical exercise in female top athletes (abstract). Proceedings. Sports and health, Maastricht, 22–24 October 1983

  35. Ziegler R (1991) Osteoporose beim Teenager und beim Twen-ein neues Krankheitsbild? In: Wurster KG, Weiske RF (eds) Ermüdungsbruch durch Osteoporose. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 1–6

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    D. Sabo, L. Bernd, J. Pfeil & A. Reiter

  2. Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Heidelberg, Schlierbacher Landstrasse 200a, D-69118, Heidelberg, Germany

    D. Sabo

Authors
  1. D. Sabo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Bernd
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. Pfeil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Reiter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sabo, D., Bernd, L., Pfeil, J. et al. Bone quality in the lumbar spine in high-performance athletes. Eur Spine J 5, 258–263 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00301329

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00301329

Key words

Search

Navigation