| Abstrakt: |
Background: The effect of physical activity and sport participation on bone mineral accrual during growth has been a large area of interest due to the importance of bone health in later life. Sports, such as gymnastics, and other high-impact and weight bearing activities have been shown to have benefits for bone development when participation begins before puberty. Currently, no research has been done to investigate highland dance and its potential benefits on bone density and other bone parameters. Highland dance involves high impact loading of the lower limb and participation generally begins at an early age. The purpose of this study was to determine whether tibial bone density, area, and estimated strength were greater in post-menarcheal highland dancers compared to controls. Methods: Bone geometric and densitometric parameters, measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at the radius and tibia, were compared between 6 female dancers and 6 controls. Participants were 18-23 years of age, and the highland dancers had participated in dance throughout their growing years. pQCT measures of bone health were assessed using multivariate analysis of covariance (covariates: age, height, site specific muscle cross-sectional area, age at menarche, and physical activity). Results: Highland dancers had significantly greater total density (20%), trabecular density (15%), and estimated bone strength (BSI) (27%) at the distal tibia (p < 0.05). There were no differences in bone parameters at the tibial shaft or radius. Discussion: These results suggest that highland dance participation starting before menarche is beneficial to distal tibial bone density and estimated strength. The significant differences being seen distally compared to proximally suggests the distal site may display a greater propensity for adaptation to loading. Dancers were also found to have no differences at the radius when compared to non-dancers, suggesting that the benefits seen at the distal tibia are due to the loading experienced through highland dance, and not a genetic predisposition and selection into the sport. Therefore, highland dance participation during the growing years appears to result in bone benefits at the distal tibia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
