Abstract
With intensive training, bone injuries are a major concern for athletes. To
assess bone condition, we often measure bone turnover markers, bone mineral
content and density; however, in junior athletes, it is not easy to distinguish
changes caused by bone injuries from those caused by growth, because the
metabolism is increased in both cases. Moreover, although some studies have
examined female endurance athletes, knowledge regarding changes in static and
dynamic bone conditions in late teen athletes is limited. In this study, we
measured the bone mineral content and density, as well as bone turnover markers,
in 40 elite female sprinters in their late teens. Whole body mode dual-energy
X-ray absorptiometry was performed to measure bone mineral content and density.
Blood samples were collected to determine bone resorption and formation markers
at the end of track season in 2016 and during the same period of the following
year. Body weight and bone mineral content significantly increased, and
tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase type 5b, bone-type alkaline phosphatase, and
osteocalcin significantly decreased after a year. Furthermore, the rate of
change in bone mineral content was higher in younger athletes, indicating that
bone growth approaches completion in the late teen years and that bone
metabolism accordingly decreases.
Key words
tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase type 5b - bone-type alkaline phosphatase - osteocalcin
