Bone Mineral Monitoring with Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) in University Female Soccer Players

Abstract

Soccer practice usually has high intensity movements involving sprints and change of direction; these implicate great strength over the bone structure having influence in the bone mineral since they facilitate bone stimulation, getting the appropriate parameters. Several studies show soccer practice or training, amateur as well as professional, lead to effective adaptations in the bone mass, as well as increases in bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD). PURPOSE: The evaluation of changes in BMC and BMD during 4-month period, competition training of university, female, soccer players. METHODS: Body measurements were made at the beginning and at the end of 4-month training to 19 soccer players (20.87 ± 1.88 years old), through DEXA where BMC and BMD of arm, leg, trunk and total body were obtained. They were evaluated fasting at the morning, where every subject used a minimum of clothes for measurement. They also received informed consent explaining the test protocol, after that their height was measured. For the statistical analysis, the software SPSS version 21.0 was used. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient method was used. RESULTS: Meaningful increases were found from the initial take to the final take of BMC of arms and legs (p<0.01), and meaningful decrease on trunk and total body (p<0.01). Regarding BMD, significant increases were seen in legs and trunk (p<0.01), however in total body obtained a significant decrease (p<0.01) and not significant in arms (p=0.252), all of this during a 4-month study. CONCLUSIONS: Significant changes of lower limbs BMC and BMD are associated to the impact of kicking the ball, the sprints and the jumps that exist in soccer practice.