Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), bone
fragility, and an increased risk of osteoporotic fracture. The disease is systemic in
nature but potential solutions include exercises prescriptions that target the
clinically relevant sites of osteoporosis (hip and spine) to improve bone mass. The
aim of this dissertation was to determine if atypical loading and load magnitude
increased bone mass at the hip and spine, respectively, in young athletic women.
The first study sought to determine if six months of uncustomary loading in the
form of a "hip drop", increased BMD at the hip in young women (n=39, aged 20.2
�� 1.3 years). The hip drop applied a direct side impact to the right greater
trochanter, the left hip was the control. The second study compared the spine BMD
response after six months of rowing training in experienced (n=16, aged 21.2 �� 1.2
years) and novice rowers (n=19, aged 19.5 �� 0.8 years) with a control group (n=14,
aged 19.2 �� 1.6 years). Bone mineral density at the hip and spine were measured in
the first and second studies, respectively. Results from the first study showed a
significant difference in BMD between hips at the femoral neck but there were no
side-to-side differences at the greater trochanter or the total hip. The second study
revealed that six months of rowing training increased spine BMD in the
experienced rowers (2.1%) but not in the novices (-0.05%). / Graduation date: 2002
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/32670 |
| Date | 24 April 2002 |
| Creators | LaRiviere, Jane A. (Jane Ann) |
| Contributors | Snow, Christine M. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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