Associations between Physical Fitness, Bone Mass, and Structure in Older People

The main aim was to analyse the associations between several physical fitness variables and bone parameters in a sample of elderly people. 129 participants (94 females and 35 males, 76.2 ± 5.4 y) from the EXERNET cohort of Zaragoza (Spain) were included in the study. Physical fitness was assessed using the Senior Fitness Test Battery. Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at the tibia and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the hip and lumbar spine were used to assess bone and muscle parameters. Partial correlations were used to describe the associations between fitness and bone parameters. A stepwise regression analysis was used to determine the influence of fitness variables on bone parameters. In males, significant correlations were found between lower body strength and agility with bone total mineral density (Tt.BMD) (r = 0.41 and -0.50) and cortical thickness (r = 0.40 and -0.50, respectively) and walking speed with total and cortical density (r = -0.41 and -0.40, respectively), all measured at tibia (all p < 0.05). Regarding DXA, neck areal bone mineral density (aBMD) correlated with flexibility (r = -0.37) and walking speed (r = 0.39) and Ward's triangle with walking speed (r = 0.39). Agility predicted Tt.BMD and cortical thickness (r ² change = 24.8% and 23.0%), while walking speed predicted cortical bone mineral density (r ² change = 19.5%) (all p < 0.05). Females showed correlations between balance and total hip aBMD (r = 0.27) and trochanter aBMD (r = 0.25). Balance predicted trochanter (r ² change = 4.2%) and total hip aBMD (r ² change = 4.9%) (both p < 0.05). In conclusion, bone mass in elderly males seems to be more influenced by physical fitness than in females, being agility and walking speed the variables showing greater associations. Other variables should be taken into account in females for future research.