The Influence of Adolescent Physical Activity on Bone Mineral Density
                    among Adult Runners

Nodoka Ikegami; Akiko Hatsukari; Toshinao Kamikubo; Ryota Yamamoto; Toshiharu Tsutsui; Suguru Torii

doi:10.1055/a-2393-3391

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Table of Contents

Int J Sports Med 2025; 46(01): 59-65
DOI: 10.1055/a-2393-3391

Orthopedics & Biomechanics

The Influence of Adolescent Physical Activity on Bone Mineral Density among Adult Runners

Nodoka Ikegami

¹Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University – Tokorozawa, Japan

,

Akiko Hatsukari

²Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University – Tokorozawa, Japan

,

Toshinao Kamikubo

¹Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University – Tokorozawa, Japan

,

Ryota Yamamoto

¹Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University – Tokorozawa, Japan

,

Toshiharu Tsutsui

²Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University – Tokorozawa, Japan

,

Suguru Torii

²Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University – Tokorozawa, Japan

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the influence of sport type and training volume during adolescence on low bone mineral density (BMD) in long-distance runners. In total, 125 competitive long-distance runners (64 males; 21.3±4.2 years, 61 females; 21.4±3.1 years) participated in this retrospective cohort study. We collected training history data during adolescence using a questionnaire and measured BMD of the lumbar spine and whole body using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Male runners with low BMD ran for more hours (p=0.02) and had a smaller proportion of multidirectional loading activity (p=0.03) in elementary school than those with normal BMD. Although female runners with low BMD performed multidirectional activity for more hours in middle school than those with normal BMD (p=0.01), running volume was similar between groups. There was an increasing trend in the total number of hours of physical activity in middle school in female runners with low BMD (p=0.05). These results suggest that avoiding specialization in long-distance running, increasing the proportion of multidirectional sports, and preventing overload during the bone growth phase may reduce the risk of low BMD among runners.

Keywords

bone health - bone stress injuries - impact loading - amenorrhea - overload

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References

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