BONE-MINERAL DENSITY IN FEMALE JUNIOR, SENIOR AND FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYERS

The purpose of this study was to examine the bone mineral densities (B MD) of female junior and senior football (soccer) players with differe nt training regimens and histories, female former football players, an d their respective controls. Active junior (age 13-17 years, n = 62) a nd senior (age 18-28 years, n = 34) players, representing three teams with different levels of performance and training, were compared recip rocally and with matched controls (n = 90). Former players (age 34-84 years, n = 25) who had ended their careers on average 9.7 years previo usly and their matched controls (n = 57) were also studied. Body compo sition and total body, lumbar spine and proximal femur BMD were measur ed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Former players and their con trols were asked in a questionnaire to specify their current level of physical activity. In a control for differences in age, weight and bod y mass index, football players had significantly greater BMD than cont rols at all sites measured. This difference appeared to be site-specif ic, with greater differences in BMD at the proximal femur sites (10.5- 11.1%) than at the lumbar spine (4.8%) or for the total body (3.5%). F urther, differences were greater for senior than for junior players. H owever, no BMD differences were found between teams representing diffe rent levels of performance and training. Female former football player s had retained their proximal femur and total-body BMD advantage over controls. In conclusion, training in female football, which is an impa ct-loading activity, has a site-specific, positive effect on bone form ation that is not increased over a certain level of physical activity. The BMD advantage attained appears to be preserved to some extent aft er the termination of the athlete's active career, which may have a po sitive effect on future fracture risk.