Is Osteoporosis and Osteopenia a Health Risk in Professional Cyclists of Iran and Tour-de-France? 

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) of Iranian and Tour-de-France professional cyclists with non-athletes. 
 Material and Methods: This investigation was in the form of a comparative and a cause-effect study, 17 
professional cyclists having participated in Iran’s first class cycling competitions [age (23.52±0.87 yr), height 
(174.94±2.81 cm), weight (73.12±3.17 kg), cycling participation background (5±2.2 yr)], 20 professional 
cyclists of Tour-de-France [with age (27.20±3.73 yr), height (180.05±7.45 cm), weight (71.50±5.21 kg), 
cycling participation background (9±3.2 yr)] and 17 healthy non-athletes participants [age (22.94±1.40 yr), 
height (172.65±2.40 cm) and weight (71.27±3.39 kg)] took part in this study. Data were collected using the 
mineral density assessing device Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA). A medical history was also filled 
out by a specialist physician. In this research mineral density of femoral neck and second to fourth lumbar 
vertebral was evaluated. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential (One-way ANOVA) statistical 
methods (p≤0/05) using SPSS software (version 16). 
 Results: The obtained results in this study showed that there is significant difference between lumbar 
vertebral BMD of the participants (F=17.89, P=0.001). But there was no significant difference between the 
femoral neck BMD of the participants (F=0.68, P=0.511). 
 Discussion and Conclusions: The results indicated that there is no significant difference between femoral 
neck BMD of Iranian and France Tour cyclists comparing to non-athletes; while BMD of lumbar vertebral was 
significantly different among the participants. Based on the results, 50% of Tour-de-France cyclists and 17.6% 
of Iranian cyclists had Osteopenia. Non-athletes had normal BMD. Totally, none of the participants had 
Osteoporosis. In order to avoid Osteoporosis and Osteopenia during middle and old age, professional cyclists 
should practice other sport activities such as weight-bearing-exercise to improve their BMD.

Keywords

• Bone mineral density
• Femoral neck
• Lumbar vertebral
• Cycling

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