Vibration analysis of the human radius of elderly men.

UNLABELLED: Vibration analysis seldom has been used in detecting structural and mechanical changes in physiologic and pathologic bone conditions. We sought to correlate natural frequency of the radius measured by vibration analyses with bone mineral density measured by dual-energy xray absorptiometry and quantitative computed tomography (including cortical thickness). Sixty sedentary men between 50 and 70 years old were deemed osteopenic or healthy. A higher natural frequency of the dominant and nondominant radius was seen in the healthy men compared with the osteopenic men. Natural frequency was consistent with bone mineral density in dominant and nondominant radius in both groups. Moreover, there was a correlation between bone mineral density measured by dual-energy xray absorptiometry and natural frequency in the dominant and nondominant radius. Cortical thickness of the dominant and nondominant radius also correlated with natural frequency. We concluded natural frequency measured by vibration analysis is a precise method for the assessment of structural properties of bone and correlates with the bone mineral density of the radius. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic study, Level II (Testing of previously developed diagnostic criteria on consecutive patients [with universally applied reference "gold" standard]). See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of the levels of evidence.

Quantitative forearm muscle strength influences radial bone mineral density in osteoporotic and healthy males.

Fractures are not rare in male osteoporosis and bone mineral density (BMD) measurement is used in the diagnosis and monitoring, preventing and/or treating the disease. Muscle strength and BMD are highly related to each other. The distal radius is one of the most common sites of osteoporotic fractures. The relationship of quantitative muscle strength and BMD of the forearm has not yet been established. The objective of this study was to assess forearm muscle strength and grip strength in relation to BMD in 46 osteoporotic and randomly selected 45 healthy male participants. Forearm muscle strength and BMD were quantitatively measured using an isokinetic dynamometer and dual-energy-X-ray-absorptiometry (DEXA), respectively. Significant correlation was found among the muscle strength and dominant forearm BMD in 60 and 120 deg/s velocities. In the non-dominant arm, the 120 deg/s velocity was only significantly positively correlated to forearm BMD. Pearson's Product coefficient presented a moderate correlation between muscle strength and BMD at the dominant arms of both groups, whereas, the difference in the non-dominant forearm came from the difference of usage frequency. In conclusion, quantitative forearm muscle strength and BMD is moderately correlated and exercise can be advised to prevent distal radius fractures in male osteoporosis.