Case study: Bone mineral density of two elite senior female powerlifters

The purpose of this case study was to examine the bone mineral density (BMD) of 2 women, aged 48 and 54 years, who had engaged in high-intensity resistance training for >30 years each and gained national prominence for their lifting performances. Each subject was measured using a dual x-ray absorptiometry (GE Lunar Prodigy, Fairfield, CT, USA) for both the BMD (grams per centimeter squared) and bone mineral content (grams) of the lumbar spine, dual femur, and total body. The Z and T scores of the 49-year-old subject were significantly higher than either age and gender-matched or peak BMD norms (lumbar spine Z + 2.2, T + 1.8, femoral mean Z + 1.1, T + 0.6, total body Z + 2.4, T + 2.0). The Z and T scores of the 54-year-old mark the largest ever reported in the literature for a Caucasian woman of this age (lumbar spine Z + 2.8, T + 2.2, femoral mean Z + 1.4, T + 1.9, total body Z + 2.6, T + 3.0). Although these results do not prove any causal relationship between long-term high-intensity strength training and elevated BMDs among women, they do raise questions that some type of relationship may exist.