Pd. Chilibeck et al., Effect of physical activity on bone mineral density assessed by limb dominance across the lifespan, AM J HUM B, 12(5), 2000, pp. 633-637
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Sociology & Antropology","Medical Research General Topics
Bone mineral density is higher in dominant vs. nondominant Limbs, implying
that the greater use of dominant limbs in everyday activities results in th
e deposition of more bone or that the dominant limb is genetically larger.
The objective of the present study was to determine whether bone mineral de
nsity differences between dominant and nondominant arms were greater in old
er vs. younger women. To determine whether this was due to a greater lifeti
me of preferential loading of the dominant arm, differences between dominan
t and nondominant arms were compared to accumulated amounts of physical act
ivities which emphasized use of the dominant arm. Bone mineral density of d
ominant and nondominant arms was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiomet
ry in groups of younger (n = 35; age = 20.9) and older (n = 53; age = 57.4)
women. The difference between arms was greater in the older vs. the younge
r group (5.2% vs. 1.9%, respectively, P < 0.01). Within the older group, to
tal lifetime energy expenditure during activities emphasizing loading of th
e dominant arm correlated with the bone mineral difference between dominant
and nondominant arms (r = 0.47, P < 0.01). This implies that a greater lif
etime of preferential loading of the dominant arm in the older group result
ed in a greater difference between arms. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.