Ranking of osteogenic potential of physical exercises in postmenopausal women based on femoral neck strains

PLoS One. 2018 Apr 4;13(4):e0195463. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195463. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The current study aimed to assess the potential of different exercises triggering an osteogenic response at the femoral neck in a group of postmenopausal women. The osteogenic potential was determined by ranking the peak hip contact forces (HCFs) and consequent peak tensile and compressive strains at the superior and inferior part of the femoral neck during activities such as (fast) walking, running and resistance training exercises. Results indicate that fast walking (5-6 km/h) running and hopping induced significantly higher strains at the femoral neck than walking at 4 km/h which is considered a baseline exercise for bone preservation. Exercises with a high fracture risk such as hopping, need to be considered carefully especially in a frail elderly population and may therefore not be suitable as a training exercise. Since superior femoral neck frailness is related to elevated hip fracture risk, exercises such as fast walking (above 5 km/h) and running can be highly recommended to stimulate this particular area. Our results suggest that a training program including fast walking (above 5 km/h) and running exercises may increase or preserve the bone mineral density (BMD) at the femoral neck.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Body Weight / physiology
  • Bone Density / physiology
  • Exercise Therapy / methods*
  • Female
  • Femur Neck / physiology*
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Hip / physiology
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Biological
  • Osteogenesis / physiology*
  • Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / physiopathology*
  • Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / prevention & control*
  • Postmenopause* / physiology
  • Running / physiology
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Walking / physiology

Grants and funding

This study was supported by grant G0526512 from the Fund for Scientific Research (FWO-Vlaanderen www.fwo.be) to S. Verschueren and by the funding of Materialise NV through the Materialise chair for patient-specific biomechanics (www.materialise.com). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.