Jove
Visualize
Contact Us

Related Experiment Videos

Exercise, amenorrhoea and the skeleton.

R J Carbon1

  • 1Department of Sports Medicine, London Hospital Medical College, UK.

British Medical Bulletin
|July 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Female athletes with athletic amenorrhoea paradoxically experience decreased bone density, risking fractures despite exercise benefits. This study explores the unexplained increase in stress fractures at physically stressed sites in these athletes.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The effect of 30 min cycle ergometry on ankylosing spondylitis.

British journal of rheumatology·1996
See all related articles
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Area of Science:

  • Exercise physiology
  • Bone health
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Regular exercise typically increases bone mineral density (BMD), strengthening the skeleton.
  • A paradox exists where female athletes with athletic amenorrhoea (AA) show decreased lumbar BMD.
  • Hormonal deficiency in AA places these athletes at risk for reduced peak BMD and bone loss.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the protective effects of exercise on BMD at skeletal sites under physical stress.
  • To understand the unexplained increase in stress fractures observed in amenorrhoeic athletes.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of bone mineral density (BMD) in female athletes.
  • Correlation of BMD with menstrual status and athletic amenorrhoea (AA).
  • Assessment of stress fracture incidence at weight-bearing skeletal sites.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Despite high activity levels, amenorrhoeic athletes exhibit reduced lumbar BMD.
  • Exercise demonstrates a continued protective effect on BMD at stressed skeletal sites.
  • An unexplained rise in stress fractures occurs at these physically stressed sites in amenorrhoeic athletes.

Conclusions:

  • The hormonal deficiency associated with athletic amenorrhoea (AA) poses a significant risk to bone health in female athletes.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms behind increased stress fractures in amenorrhoeic athletes despite exercise's bone-protective effects.