Peripheral and axial bone mass in Austrian free climbers

The present investigation was carried out in healthy white adult males to determine the effects of exercise, in the form of free climbing, on peripheral and axial bone mass. 13 men who have been regularly engaging in alpine free climbing for a mean period of nine years and, for training purposes, have been performing additional muscle building exercises (4.5 h +/- 1 SEM per week) and 12 age matched controls were included in the study. Bone mineral content of the non-dominant distal forearm was measured by single-photon absorptiometry, and bone mineral density of the lumbar spine was determined by quantitative computed tomography. It was found that consistent exercise in the form of alpine free climbing was associated with increased bone mass of the lumbar spine (162.4 +/- 4.4 vs 184.8 +/- 7.9 mg/ml, p less than 0.025). Peripheral bone mineral content of the distal forearm was slightly but not significantly increased in the free climbers (55.4 +/- 9.0 vs 61.1 +/- 7.4 Units, p less than 0.09 N.S.). The study provides additional evidence that exercise in the form of alpine climbing, is associated with increased lumbar bone mass.