Bone mineral density and body composition of South African cricketers

Mechanical loading associated with weight-bearing physical activity has been positively associated with bone mineral density in athletes participating in various sports. The aim of this study was to compare the body composition and bone mineral density of South African male cricketers to controls. Whole body (WB), femoral neck (FN), proximal femur (PF) and lumbar spine (LS) BMD, as well as whole body fat mass (WBFM) and lean mass (WBLM) were measured, using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), on 34 high-performance (senior provincial and national level) cricketers and 23 physically active controls between the ages of 16 and 34 years. Cricketers were significantly younger, taller, and had greater WBLM and WBBMC compared to the controls. LS, PF and FN BMD were higher in the cricketers and controls before and after adjusting for age and height. WBBMD was significantly lower in the spin bowlers compared to the batsmen and fast bowlers, after adjusting for age and height; however, there were no differences at the BMD sites between the groups. Bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and hip sites was significantly greater in the cricketers compared to the controls, suggesting that the mechanical loading associated with cricket is beneficial for bone mineral density.