Changes in tibial bone microarchitecture in female recruits in response to 8 weeks of U.S. Army Basic Combat Training

U.S. Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) is a physically-demanding program at the start of military service. Whereas animal studies have shown that increased mechanical loading rapidly alters bone structure, there is limited evidence of changes in bone density and structure in humans exposed to a brief...

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Published in:Bone (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2018-08, Vol.113, p.9-16
Main Authors: Hughes, Julie M., Gaffney-Stomberg, Erin, Guerriere, Katelyn I., Taylor, Kathryn M., Popp, Kristin L., Xu, Chun, Unnikrishnan, Ginu, Staab, Jeffery S., Matheny, Ronald W., McClung, James P., Reifman, Jaques, Bouxsein, Mary L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Basic Combat Training
Biochemical markers of bone turnover
Bone Density - physiology
Bone microarchitecture
Exercise
Female
HR-pQCT
Humans
Military Personnel
Military training
Osteogenesis - physiology
Physical Conditioning, Human - physiology
Tibia - physiology
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Young Adult
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Summary:U.S. Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) is a physically-demanding program at the start of military service. Whereas animal studies have shown that increased mechanical loading rapidly alters bone structure, there is limited evidence of changes in bone density and structure in humans exposed to a brief period of unaccustomed physical activity. We aimed to characterize changes in tibial bone density and microarchitecture and serum-based biochemical markers of bone metabolism in female recruits as a result of 8 weeks of BCT. We collected high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomographic images of the distal tibial metaphysis and diaphysis (4% and 30% of tibia length from the distal growth plate, respectively) and serum markers of bone metabolism before and after BCT. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the mean difference for each outcome from pre- to post-BCT, while controlling for race/ethnicity, age, and body mass index. 91 female BCT recruits volunteered and completed this observational study (age = 21.5 ± 3.3 yrs). At the distal tibial metaphysis, cortical thickness, trabecular thickness, trabecular number, bone volume/total volume, and total and trabecular volumetric bone density (vBMD) increased significantly by 1–2% (all p 
ISSN:8756-3282
1873-2763
DOI:10.1016/j.bone.2018.04.021