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Updated: May 21, 2026
Subject-specific Musculoskeletal Model for Studying Bone Strain During Dynamic Motion
Published on: April 11, 2018
Effect of different collegiate sports on cortical bone in the tibia
L A Weidauer1, M M Eilers, T L Binkley
1EA Martin Program in Human Nutrition, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA. Lee.Weidauer@sdstate.edu
Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of sports participation on cortical bone in the tibia.
Methods:
53 female collegiate athletes (25 cross-country, 16 soccer, and 12 volleyball) and 20 inactive controls had the left distal 20% tibia scanned by pQCT. Cortical volumetric BMD (vBMD) was measured within the cortical shell at the anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral regions and standard deviations were calculated.
Results:
Total vBMD was greater in the control group (1161±5 mg/mm(3)) than each of the sports (p<0.05). Soccer players (1147±5 mg/mm(3)) had greater vBMD than volleyball players (1136±7 mg/mm(3)) (p<0.05), but similar to cross-country runners (1145±5 mg/mm(3)). Cortical thickness was greatest in soccer players (4.1±0.1 mm), while cross-country and control subjects (3.8±0.1 mm) had greater thickness than volleyball players (3.4±0.1 mm)(p<0.05). Periosteal circumference was greater in volleyball players (71±1.4 mm) than soccer, cross-country, and control subjects (68±0.9, 69±0.8, and 66±1 mm, respectively; all, p<0.05). vBMD variation within the cortical shell was greater among control subjects (70±6 mg/cm(3)) than each of the athlete groups, with soccer players having lower variation than cross country runners (within-in person SD 36±6 mg/cm(3) and 54±5 mg/cm(3) respectively; p<0.05).
Conclusion:
These results indicate bone geometry and distribution within the cortical shell of the tibia varies depending upon sporting activities of young women.
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