Related Experiment Videos
Early physical activity intervention prevents decrease of bone strength in very low birth weight infants
Ita Litmanovitz1, Tzipora Dolfin, Orit Friedland
1Department of Neonatology, Meir General Hospital, Sapir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel. litmani@clalit.org.il
Insights
Early range-of-motion exercises help maintain bone strength in very low birth weight infants. This intervention may reduce the risk of osteopenia in this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Bone physiology
Background:
- Very low birth weight infants are at high risk for osteopenia.
- Postnatal bone loss is a significant concern in this population.
- Early interventions are crucial for bone health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of early range-of-motion (ROM) intervention on bone strength.
- To evaluate the effect of ROM exercises on bone turnover markers.
- To investigate bone changes in very low birth weight infants.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial with 24 very low birth weight infants.
- Intervention group received daily passive ROM exercises for 4 weeks.
- Bone strength measured by quantitative ultrasound (bone speed of sound).
Main Results:
- Bone speed of sound significantly decreased in the control group.
- Bone speed of sound remained stable in the exercise group.
- No significant differences were observed in biochemical bone turnover markers.
Conclusions:
- A significant postnatal decrease in bone strength occurs in very low birth weight infants.
- Early ROM exercise can attenuate this decrease in bone strength.
- ROM intervention may reduce the risk of developing osteopenia.
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of early range-of-motion intervention on bone strength and bone turnover in very low birth weight infants.
Methods:
Twenty-four infants (mean birth weight: 1135 +/- 247 g; mean gestational age: 28.5 +/- 2.3 weeks) were matched for gestational age and birth weight and then randomly assigned into exercise (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. Exercise protocol started at the first week of life and involved daily extension and flexion range of motion against passive resistance of the upper and lower extremities (5 minutes per day, 5 days per week, 4 weeks). Growth parameters, bone strength, and biochemical markers of bone homeostasis were measured at enrollment and after 4 weeks. Bone strength was determined using quantitative ultrasound measurement of bone speed of sound (SOS) at the middle left tibial shaft.
Results:
Bone SOS decreased significantly in the control group during the study period (from 2892 +/- 30 m/sec to 2799 +/- 26), whereas bone SOS of the exercise group remained stable (2825 +/- 32 m/sec and 2827 +/- 26 m/sec at baseline and 4 weeks, respectively). This significant difference in bone SOS was not expressed in the biochemical markers of bone homeostasis.
Conclusions:
There is a significant postnatal decrease in the bone SOS of very low birth weight infants. A brief range-of-motion exercise attenuates the decrease in bone strength and may decrease the risk of osteopenia.