人體的骨骼狀況對健康影響重大，較佳的骨質密度可避免因骨質疏鬆症引起的骨折，進而保護生命安全。老年人如能減緩骨質的流失，則可以降低骨質疏鬆症的發生。但是不同項目的運動，對於維護老年男性的骨質密度是否有所差異，有待確認。目的：比較規律的籃球、游泳運動對老年男性骨質密度影響之差異。方法：受試對象為45位自願參加的老年男性，其中規律籃球及游泳運動組各15位，另以15位案牘生活者為控制組。受試者年齡介於64-65歲之間。運動組受試者徵求在臺北市各籃球場與游泳池參與早晨運動的老年男性參加。這些老年運動者皆規律參與該項運動3年以上，運動頻率每週至少5次，每次運動持續時間約40分鐘。以雙能X光吸收儀測量骨質密度，以骨吸收及骨形成指標測試骨骼代謝。以受試者的身體質量指數為共變量進行共變數分析，達顯著差異後，以杜凱法進行事後比較，本研究的α值為.05。結果：在腰椎第二、第三、第四及第二至第四節上，各組之骨質密度達顯著差異，籃球組與游泳組之骨質密度顯著高於控制組（Ｐ＜.05），籃球組在腰椎第二節及腰椎第二至第四節之骨質密度顯著高於遊泳組（Ｐ＜.05），其餘各組之間未達顯著差異。在跟骨及股骨頸上，籃球組及游泳組之骨質密度顯著高於控制組（Ｐ＜.05），籃球組與游泳組之間未達顯著差異。在沃氏三角上，籃球組之骨質密度顯著高於控制組（Ｐ＜.05），其餘各組之間未達顯著差異。在骨形成指標BAP上，籃球組及游泳組顯著高於控制組（Ｐ＜.05），籃球組與游泳組之間未達顯著差異。在骨吸收指標DPD上，各組之間未達顯著差異。結論：規律的籃球與游泳運動，有益於老年男性保持較高的骨質密度，保障老年人的骨骼健康；籃球運動含有較多的跳躍動作，對腰椎部位骨質密度的維護效果較游泳運動好。

Health can be greatly affected by bone since higher bone mineral density (BMD) has been proven to prevent people from osteoporosis-related fracture. It was further proposed that the lesser bone loss the lesser fracture risk in elders. Therefore, this study was aimed investigate whether different kinds of regular exercise affect BMD. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the BMD among regular exercisers of basketball and sedentary counterparts. Methods: Forty five healthy male elders (age between 64-65 years old) were voluntarily recruited in Taipei City including fifteen regular basketball players (basketball group, BG) and fifteen regular swimmers (swimming group, SG), which were recruited from morning exercise club with regular exercise of 40 minutes per session and 5 days per week for longer than 3 years, and fifteen sedentary subjects (control group, CG). BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bone metabolism was measured by bone formation marker, bone specific alkaline phosphate (BAP), and bone reabsorption marker, deoxypyridinoline crosslink (DPD). Analysis of covariance with body mass index (BMI) as covariate was used to compare the differences among groups. Results: The main findings of this study were (1) BMD of lumbar spine in BG and SG were significantly higher than in CG; (2) higher BMD in BG than in SG were observed at L2 and l2-L4; (3)BMD in BG and SG were significantly higher than in CG at Calcaneus and femoral neck; (4)BMD in BG was significantly higher than in CG at ward’s triangle; (5) BAP in BG and SG were significantly higher than in CG; (6) no significant differences in DPD among groups were found. Conclusions: Regular exercises of basketball and swimming provide beneficial effects on BMD compared with control counterparts in male elders and basketball, with more impact characteristics, better benefits on BMD than swimming.