Geometric indices of hip bone strength in young female football players

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare geometric indices of hip bone strength in female football players and controls. Methods: 18 adult female football players and 18 adult sedentary females participated in this study. The two groups were paired for age, weight and body mass index (BMI). Daily calcium intake (DCI) and daily protein intake (DPI) were evaluated by questionnaires. Total hip bone mineral density (BMD) and femoral neck BMD were measured by DXA. Cross-sectional area (CSA), an index of axial compression strength, section modulus (Z), an index of bending strength and cortical thickness (CT) were evaluated at the femoral neck (FN), the intertrochanteric (IT) and the femoral shaft (FS) regions by the hip structure analysis (HSA) program. Results: Age, weight, height, BMI, DCI and DPI were not different between the two groups. TH BMD, FN BMD, FN CSA, FN Z, FN CT, IT CSA, IT Z, IT CT, FS CSA and FS Z were significantly higher in football players compared to controls (crude percentage differences between the two groups varied between 8 and 19%; P<0.05). After adjusting for body weight using a one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), TH BMD, FN BMD, FN CSA, FN Z, FN CT, IT CSA, IT Z, IT CT, FS CSA and FS Z remained significantly higher in football players compared to controls (adjusted percentage differences between the two groups varied between 7 and 17%; P<0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that, in adult females, football practice is associated with greater geometric indices of hip bone strength.