Health can be greatly affected by bone since higher bone mineral density (BMD) has been proven to prevent people from osteoporosis-related fracture. It was further proposed that the lesser bone loss the lesser fracture risk in elders. Therefore, this study was aimed investigate whether different kinds of regular exercise affect BMD. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the BMD among regular exercisers of basketball and swimming and sedentary counterparts. Methods: Forty five healthy male elders (age between 64-65 years old) were voluntarily recruited in Taipei City including fifteen regular basketball players (basketball group, BG) and fifteen regular swimmers (swimming group, SG), which were recruited from morning exercise club with regular exercise of 40 minutes per session and 5 days per week for longer than 3 years, and fifteen sedentary subjects (control group, CG). BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bone metabolism was measured by bone formation marker, bone specific alkaline phosphate (BAP), and bone reabsorption marker, deoxypyridinoline crosslink (DPD). Analysis of covariance with body mass index (BMI) as covariate was used to compare the differences among groups. Results: The main findings of this study were (1) BMD of lumbar spine in BG and SG were significantly higher than in CG; (2) higher BMD in BG than in SG were observed at L2 and L2-L4; (3) BMD in BG and SG were significantly higher than in CG at Calcaneus and femoral neck; (4) BMD in BG was significantly higher than in CG at ward's triangle; (5) BAP in BG and SG were significantly higher than in CG; (6) no significant differences in DPD among groups were found. Conclusions: Regular exercises of basketball and swimming provide beneficial effects on BMD compared with control counterparts in male elders and basketball, with more impact characteristics, better benefits on BMD than swimming.
Health can be greatly affected by bone since higher bone mineral density (BMD) has been proven to prevent people from osteoporosis-related fracture. It was further proposed that the lesser bone loss the lesser fracture risk in elders. Therefore, this study was aimed investigate whether different kinds of regular exercise affect BMD. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the BMD among regular exercisers of basketball and swimming and sedentary counterparts. Methods: Forty five healthy male elders (age between 64-65 years old) were voluntarily recruited in Taipei City including fifteen regular basketball players (basketball group, BG) and fifteen regular swimmers (swimming group, SG), which were recruited from morning exercise club with regular exercise of 40 minutes per session and 5 days per week for longer than 3 years, and fifteen sedentary subjects (control group, CG). BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bone metabolism was measured by bone formation marker, bone specific alkaline phosphate (BAP), and bone reabsorption marker, deoxypyridinoline crosslink (DPD). Analysis of covariance with body mass index (BMI) as covariate was used to compare the differences among groups. Results: The main findings of this study were (1) BMD of lumbar spine in BG and SG were significantly higher than in CG; (2) higher BMD in BG than in SG were observed at L2 and L2-L4; (3) BMD in BG and SG were significantly higher than in CG at Calcaneus and femoral neck; (4) BMD in BG was significantly higher than in CG at ward's triangle; (5) BAP in BG and SG were significantly higher than in CG; (6) no significant differences in DPD among groups were found. Conclusions: Regular exercises of basketball and swimming provide beneficial effects on BMD compared with control counterparts in male elders and basketball, with more impact characteristics, better benefits on BMD than swimming.