運動對骨量似乎有正面的效果,但是在骨質疏鬆症的預防和治療,應該怎樣運動才 是最有效的方法,則有待進一步的研究。支撐體重的活動(weight-bearing activity)被認為 對骨骼是有效益的,而游泳運動對骨量維持則被認為較沒有效益,為了進一步探究此問題,我 們測量16位大學男游泳保送選手(平均訓練年數10.0±3.1年,年齡20.6±1.1歲,身高174.3± 5.8公分,體重72.3±9.7公斤)脊椎骨和股骨頸的骨密度,以便和同年齡非運動選手(對照常模) 比較。結果男游泳選手其脊椎骨密度(1.148±0.095g/cm□)顯著高於同年齡非運動選手(Mean Z-Score=1.00±0.77, p<.001);而股骨頸密度(1.091±0.111g/cm□)亦顯著地高於同年齡非運 動選手(Mean Z-Score=2.69±1.08, p<.001)且兩者Mean Z-Score有顯著差異(p<.001)。那些 結果顯示出游泳運動對骨質疏鬆症的預防和治療可能是有效的,且對股骨頸的效果可能優於 脊椎骨。

　　　　　Exercise appears to be capable of exerting a positive effect on bone mass, but how exercise can be used to best advantage in the prevention and therapy of osteopenia is unclear. Weight-bearing activity has been commonly considered to be essential for the beneficial effects of exercise on the skeleton, and, therefore, swimming has been considered valueless in the maintenance of bone mass. To examine the issue, we measured femoral neck and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) in sixteen male college competitive swimmers. Their age (M±S.D.), height and weight were 20.5±1.1 yrs, 174.2±5.8cm, 72.3±9.7kg respectively. At vertebral sites (1.148± 0.095g/cm□), the male swimmers had significantly greater BMD than the nonexercisers (1.00±0.77 Z-Score, p<.001). At femoral neck sites (1.091±0.111 g/cm□), the male swimmers had significantly greater BMD than the nonexercisers (2.69±1.08 Z-Score, p<.001). These results suggest that swimming exercise may be beneficial in the prevention or therapy of osteoporosis and that its potential usefulness in this regard is greater for femoral neck sites than for lumbar spine sites.