High-impact exercise boosts bone density without harming knee health in postmenopausal women

In a current research revealed within the Journal of Bone and Mineral Analysis, researchers assessed the impression of high-impact train on femoral neck bone density and knee osteoarthritis (OA) (a degenerative joint illness inflicting cartilage breakdown and joint ache) imaging biomarkers in wholesome postmenopausal (the interval in a lady’s life after her menstrual cycles have ceased for twelve consecutive months) girls.

Research: Excessive-Affect Exercise Elevated Femoral Neck Bone Density With No Opposed Results on Imaging Markers of Knee Osteoarthritis in Postmenopausal Girls. Picture Credit score: lzf / Shutterstock

Background 

Osteoporosis (OP) (a situation characterised by weakened bones, growing the danger of fractures) and OA have an effect on tens of millions globally, with larger bone mineral density (BMD) linked to decreased OA development danger however elevated knee OA danger. Postmenopausal girls are at larger OP danger on account of estrogen deficiency and have a better OA prevalence than males. Excessive-impact train can enhance BMD, with combined leads to postmenopausal girls. Progressive unilateral train has improved femoral neck BMD in premenopausal girls and older males. Additional analysis is required to substantiate the long-term results and security of high-impact train on bone and joint well being in postmenopausal girls.

In regards to the research 

The current trial concerned 6 months of high-impact unilateral train on a randomly assigned train leg (EL) in comparison with the contralateral management leg (CL). Authorised by ethics committees, individuals offered written knowledgeable consent earlier than enrollment. Postmenopausal girls aged 55 to 70 years have been recruited, with exclusions for OP pharmaceutical therapy eligibility, joint accidents, medical circumstances precluding train, physique mass index (BMI) over 30 kg/m², current ionizing radiation research, high-impact train frequency, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Twin-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) contraindications and bone-affecting medicines.

Screening included phone interviews and baseline testing, overlaying well being and bodily exercise questionnaires, DXA scans, and eligibility assessments. Baseline MRI scans and Floor Response Pressure (GRF) knowledge assortment adopted familiarization with the hopping protocol. Contributors have been randomly assigned an train leg and accomplished the primary supervised session. After 6 months, repeat DXA, MRI, and drive plate knowledge have been collected.

Health knowledge, bodily exercise, and calcium consumption have been recorded. DXA scans analyzed whole-body, femurs, and lumbar spine for femoral neck BMD, bone mineral content material (BMC), and part modulus (Z). Semiquantitative scoring for bone marrow lesions (BML) and cartilage defects used the MRI Osteoarthritis Knee Rating (MOAKS) system. GRFs throughout hopping estimated osteogenic load.

The intervention required 50 every day multidirectional hops, progressing over 6 months, with individuals sustaining train diaries. Knowledge evaluation employed paired t-tests, repeated measures Evaluation of Variance (ANOVA), and McNemar exams, with significance set at p < 0.05. Pattern dimension calculations required 30 individuals to detect femoral neck BMD modifications.

Here is a wild research! Researchers randomly assigned getting older girls to *soar on one leg* 50 instances for six months to see if it might enhance bone density in comparison with the non-jumping leg. It labored! https://t.co/kYy0LJh7Wj pic.twitter.com/ccwFMgotxh

— Thomas Talhelm (@ThomasTalhelm) July 1, 2024

Research outcomes 

Baseline traits indicated no vital variations in femoral neck T-scores between the legs. Among the many 42 individuals randomized, follow-up knowledge have been obtainable for 35. Seven individuals have been misplaced to follow-up or withdrew on account of knee discomfort or Achilles tendinopathy. Two individuals formally withdrew however returned for follow-up knowledge; one withdrew on account of knee discomfort, which recovered after stopping the train, and one other on account of a non-intervention-related knee injury.

Adherence was assessed through the ultimate 16 weeks when individuals have been prescribed 50 hops every day. The imply adherence was 76.8%, with 29 individuals exercising at the very least 4 days per week. Contributors reported a mean of three.4 days of missed classes, principally on account of ankle or knee soreness.

There have been no vital modifications in complete physique fats mass, lean mass, or lean mass of the EL and CL. The imply peak vertical (v)GRFs of 10 consecutive hops confirmed no distinction between the legs at baseline. Submit-intervention, vGRF elevated in each legs (EL by 10% and CL by 7%), indicating elevated hopping depth over 6 months.

Bone measurements indicated no baseline variations between legs. After 6 months of high-impact train, imply femoral neck BMD elevated within the EL by 0.81% and decreased within the CL by 0.57%. Related modifications have been noticed for BMC and Z. BMD decreased by 0.9% from baseline.

In particular person areas of curiosity (ROIs), the medial tibial ROI of the central slice confirmed a major leg × time interplay, which was not statistically vital after adjusting for a number of comparisons.

Semiquantitative evaluation of knee joint measures confirmed excessive baseline prevalence of BMLs and cartilage defects, notably within the patellofemoral joint (PFJ). Following the intervention, there have been no vital variations between ROIs that progressed and people who didn’t. 5 individuals had BML development within the EL and 5 within the CL. 4 individuals had BML rating enhancements within the EL and 5 within the CL. Six individuals had development of cartilage defects within the EL and 4 within the CL, with two enhancements within the EL and three within the CL.

Conclusions 

To summarize, this research is the primary to point out that six months of high-impact, unilateral train can considerably enhance femoral neck BMD, BMC, and Z in postmenopausal girls with out negatively affecting knee cartilage or OA development. These findings distinction with earlier meta-analyses and recommend that common, progressive loading successfully enhances bone energy on this inhabitants. The research additionally indicated that high-impact train is a secure and helpful intervention for bettering hip energy in postmenopausal girls.