A 21‐week bone deposition promoting exercise programme increases bone mass in young people with Down syndrome

Abstract

To determine whether the bone mass of young people with Down syndrome may increase, following a 21-week conditioning training programme including plyometric jumps. Twenty-eight participants with Down syndrome (13 females, 15 males) aged 10 to 19 years were divided into exercise (DS-E; n=14; eight females, six males mean age 13y 8mo, SD 2y 6mo) and non-exercise (DS-NE; n=14; five females, nine males mean age 15y 5mo, SD 2y 6mo) groups. Total and regional (hip and lumbar spine [L1-L4]) bone mineral content (BMC) and total lean mass were assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline and after a 25-minute training session performed twice a week. Repeated-measures analyses of variation were applied to test differences between pre- and posttraining values for BMC and total lean mass. Differences between increments were studied with the Student's t-test. Linear regression models were fitted to test independent relationships. After the intervention, higher increments in total and hip BMC, and total lean mass, were observed in the DS-E group (all p<0.05). A time × exercise interaction was found for total lean mass (p<0.05). The increment in total lean mass, height, and Tanner stage accounted for almost for 60% in the increment in total BMC in the DS-NE group (p<0.05). Twenty-one weeks of training have a positive effect on the acquisition of bone mass in young people with Down syndrome.