Site-specific relationship between bone mineral density and muscle strength or endurance in elderly men

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between skeletal muscle function and bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly men. Three BMD values from the lumbar spine (L2-L4), femoral neck and distal radius and 12 muscle strength/endurance variables were measured from sixty-six healthy elderly men. We found that the lumber spine BMD correlated significantly with bench press, back strength, and knee extension/flexion; the femoral neck BMD associated strongly with lower limb muscle functions; and the distal radius BMD had positive correlation with 1RM and 15RM elbow flexion. This result demonstrates a site-specific relationship between BMD and muscle function in elderly men. This relationship, explained by the Wolff’s law, suggests the exercise of the regional muscles must be involved to improve or maintain the BMD at that anatomic position. In particular, lower limb muscle activity may benefit the BMD at the femoral neck, which may help prevent hip fractures in elderly men