FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT AREA   

Medicina dello Sport 2010 December;63(4):485-93

Copyright © 2011 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Effects of resistance versus aerobic training protocols on bone mineral density in young untrained females

Azali Alamdari K., Ebadi Shirmard B., Moradi Koochi M., Pozesh Jadidi J., Pozesh Jadidi R.

¹ Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran; ² Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Faculty of Humanities and Educational Science, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz branch, Tabriz, Iran

Aim. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of endurance vs. resistance training on regional bone mineral density (BMD) in young untrained females.
Methods. Thirty-six young untrained female volunteers (mean age, 22.66±1.56 years; mean body-mass index, 22.85±2.17) were randomly assigned to either of two intervention groups or a control group (N.=12 in each group). The endurance training regimen comprised 36 sessions of treadmill running, three times a week at 70% to 80% maximum heart rate for 40 min per session; the resistance training regimen comprised 36 circuit training sessions, three times a week at 70% to 80% maximum load (1RM), with 6 to 8 repetitions in three sets and two min rest in between. Regional BMD was measured at the lumbar spine, femoral neck and distal radius by means of dual X-ray absorptiometry before the beginning of the study (baseline) and again at the end of the 36 sessions.
Results. Both training protocols induced significant increases in regional BMD at all three sites. Comparison between the pre- and post-intervention changes in the two treatment groups showed significant differences vs. the control group only at the back and wrist after aerobic training and at the femoral neck after resistance training, respectively (P<0.05).
Conclusion. There are considerable differences in regional BMD response to different exercise regimens.