Effect of 7 Months of Physical Training and Military Routine on the Bone Mass of Young Adults.

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity (PA) has a great influence on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC), however longitudinal studies that seek to relate bone mass to physical activity are scarce and have a small sample size. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of 7 months of military physical training (MPT), impact sports (IS), and swimming in the bone mass of young military adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted with 213 military school students (male and aged 19.2 ± 1.2 years) divided into three groups: MPT (n = 144), IS (n = 56), and Swimming (n = 13). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine body composition (percentage of fat, fat mass, and fat-free mass) and bone mass (BMD, BMD Z-Score, total BMC, arm BMC, leg BMC, and trunk BMC), at the beginning of the military service and after 7 months of training. RESULTS: It was observed a significant increase in BMD, BMD Z-Score, total BMC and BMC of all segments analyzed for all groups (p < 0.01). There was a significantly greater variation in BMD of the IS group in relation to the MPT group (p < 0.01), and in the arm BMC of the MPT group in relation to the IS group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: After 7 months of training, there were significant increases in BMC and BMD of all the groups evaluated. The bone response was associated with the muscular group used in the physical exercise and the IS group showed greater gain in BMD.

Can anthropometric, body composition, and bone variables be considered risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in Brazilian military students?

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal injuries are the main cause of premature discharge from military service and can sometimes lead to permanent disabilities. Some intrinsic risk factors are well discussed in the literature. However, the relation between body composition variables and the risk for musculoskeletal injury is not well known or recognized. METHODS: This prospective study evaluated 205 Brazilian military students. At the beginning of military service, health status and sports experience prior to military service were registered. Anthropometric variables were evaluated, and bone and body composition variables were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The occurrence of musculoskeletal injuries throughout the year was registered at the military physiotherapy service. At the end of 1 year of follow-up, risk factors were analysed by comparing the variables between the injured and non-injured students. RESULTS: No difference in previous health status was found between injured and non-injured groups, whereas sports experience prior to military service was identified as a protective factor (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.323; 95% CI: 0.108-0.968; p = 0.044). Anthropometric, bone, and body composition variables could not be identified as risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in Brazilian military students. CONCLUSION: Anthropometric, bone, and body composition variables could not be considered risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in Brazilian military students.

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry metabolic maps to resting energy expenditure estimation, and body size dependence in Brazilian young men.

OBJECTIVES: The model most suitable for estimating resting energy expenditure (REE) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) metabolic maps is not known; moreover, the applicability in individuals with different body sizes also is uncertain. The aim of this study was to test the accuracy of REE estimation from models of DXA metabolic maps with four, five, and six tissue-organ components in young men, stratified by body size. METHODS: We studied 52 young men between the ages of 18 and 29 y. Participants were clustered to small (SW; n = 32) and large (LW; n = 20) weight, and small (SWH; n = 25) and large (LWH; n = 27) weight-height. REE was measured by indirect calorimetry (REEm), and predicted from DXA metabolic maps with four (REEc1), five (REEc2) and six (REEc3) tissue-organ components. RESULTS: REEc1, REEc2, and REEc3 explained 54% (P < 0.001), 56% (P < 0.001), and 58% (P < 0.001) of REEm variance in all participants, respectively. However, REEc2 showed mean difference between REEm (P < 0.001), and REEc3 showed trends in estimating the REE (P < 0.05). In contrast, REEc1 showed limits of agreement (95%) of -248.3 to 285.8 kcal/d, 18.7 ± 136.3 kcal/d of bias, and no trends in the Bland-Altman analysis. The relationship between all predicted models and measured REE decreased in LW and LWH. CONCLUSIONS: REEc1 can be considered the best accurate model of REE estimation in Brazilian young men, providing the REE and metabolically active tissue-organ of four components. Caution should be exercised with the use of DXA metabolic maps in populations with greater weight and greater weight-height.

Análise do impacto do tênis e coturno fornecidos pelo exército brasileiro durante a marcha / Analysis of shock absortion during gait wearing tennis shoes and military boots from Brazilian Army

O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar a absorção de impacto durante a marcha descalço e com tênis e coturno fornecidos pelo Exército Brasileiro. A amostra foi composta por 20 soldados saudáveis recém-incorporados sem sintomas ou lesões musculoesqueléticas ou neurológicas que interferissem na marcha. Os sujeitos foram instruídos a caminhar em uma plataforma de madeira de 10 metros de comprimento por um metro de largura, com duas plataformas de força (Bertec, EUA) embutidas no centro. O componente vertical da força de reação do solo foi avaliado durante a marcha nas situações tênis, coturno e descalço. O sistema de cinemetria (Qualysis, Suécia) foi utilizado para medir a velocidade da marcha em cada situação de teste. O primeiro pico de força (PPF), o tempo para atingir o PPF (T_PPF), pico transiente de impacto (IPF) e a taxa de aceitação do peso (TAP) entre 10% e 30%, 30% e 50%, 50% e 70%, 70% e 90% e 10% e 90% do PPF foram avaliadas. O T_PPF foi em média 1s menor (p < 0,0001), o IPF e a TAP entre 10% e 30% do PPF foram maiores (p < 0,0001, ambos) descalço comparados a marcha com tênis e coturno. Não foi observado diferença estatística nas outras variáveis estudadas nas três condições de teste, bem como em nenhuma variável na comparação entre tênis e coturno. Os calçados avaliados são eficientes em reduzir o impacto durante a marcha por atrasar em média 1 s o tempo em que o PPF foi atingido, reduzir o IPF e a TAP nos primeiros 30% do PPF

This study aimed at comparing shock absorption during gait while walking barefoot, tennis shoes and military boots. Twenty healthy soldiers without neurologic or musculoskeletal disorders were evaluated. Subjects walked 10 meters along a straight and level walkway at a comfortable speed in barefoot condition and using tennis shoes and military boots. Two force platforms (Bertec, EUA) were placed in serial at the middle of the walkway used to measure the ground reaction forces (GRF). The kinematic system (Qualysis, Sweden) was used to measure gait speed in each test condition. The first peak of force (FPF) of the vertical component of the GRF, time to reach to FPF (T_FPF), transient impact peak force (IPF) were evaluated and the weight acceptance rate at 10% to 30%, 30% to 50%, 50% to 70%, 70% to 90% and 10% to 90% of FPF. T_FPF was 1 s shorter (p < 0.0001), as well as IPF and weight acceptance rate at 10% to 30% in barefoot was higher (p < 0.0001, both) than tennis shoes and military boots gait patterns. None statistical difference was found in the others analyzed variables, even as in the tennis shoes and military boots comparisons. The analyzed footwear delayed the FPF impact during gait, reduce the IPF and the weight acceptance phase during 10% to 30% of FPF, being efficient in reduce impact forces during gait