著者

宮元 章次 石河 利寛 北村 虎雄 押川 紘一郎

出版者

一般社団法人 日本体育学会

雑誌

体育学研究 (ISSN:04846710)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.44, no.6, pp.493-499, 1999

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The present study was conducted to examine the effect of relatively low-impact exercise on declining bone mineral density, which is a cause of fractures in aged women. Twelve female participants aged 64-76 years before training began to practice gateball for 100-150 min every day, 4-6 days a week for four years. A control group comprised six women aged 66-75 years before training. Dual X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure body composition and bone mineral density (BMD). There were significant differences in BMD (femoral neck, Ward's triangle, trochanter, and lumbar vertebra) before training between the gateball group and the control group. BMD in the control group was below the threshold for increased danger of femoral neck fracture. The rate of change in BMD (femoral neck, lumbar vertebra) in the training group (-0.8% per year, -0.8% per year) was smaller than that in the control group (-1.2% per year, -1.1% per year), and each respective difference was significant, A significant increase was found in the rate of change in lean tissue mass in the training group (0.6% per year). Therefore regular low-impact exercise (gateball) can play an important role in preventing bone fracture in elderly women.