Bone Geometry, Strength, and Biomechanical Changes in Runners With a History of Stress Fractures

NCT00766077 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 29496
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Stress fractures are a common and debilitating injury for a variety of athletes however current evidence does not clearly allow easy prediction of athletes at risk for a first fracture. Animal and some preliminary human evidence suggest that assessment of bone strength, muscle size and running mechanics may be primary risk factors for stress fractures. The investigators study will help determine which, if any, of these modifiable risk factors could help identify athletes at risk for stress fracture. Competitive female distance runners will be recruited for this study. Participants will placed into a stress fracture or control group based on stress fracture history. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT) will be used to assess bone structure and strength. Running mechanics will be assessed during a 30-40 minute fatiguing run. A treadmill with an embedded force plate and high speed video will be used to assess changes in running mechanics throughout the run. The purpose of this project will be to

1. 1.explore differences in volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), bone geometry, and muscle cross sectional area (MCSA) using pQCT
2. 2.explore changes in load (GRFs) and running mechanics that occur during a fatiguing run in runners with and without a history of stress fracture.

Conditions

Stress Fractures; Bone Geometry; Bone Strength; Biomechanical Changes

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants must be competitive female distance runners between the ages of 18-35. Athletes must currently be healthy, have been training for a minimum of 5 years and running 25 or more miles per week during their competitive season.

You may qualify if:

• Participants must be competitive female distance runners between the ages of 18-35.
• Athletes must currently be healthy, have been training for a minimum of 5 years and running 25 or more miles per week during their competitive season.

You may not qualify if:

• Participants will be excluded if they currently have a known chronic health problem, currently have a stress fracture or lower limb injury, currently have or have had an eating disorder, are on medication known to influence bone density and/or bone metabolism, or are pregnant. A pregnancy test will be administered to all female participants prior to any pQCT or DXA scans.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Utah: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Fractures, Stress

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Fractures, Bone; Wounds and Injuries

Study Officials

• Laurie J Mileur, PhD

  University of Utah

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 2, 2008
• First Posted: October 3, 2008
• Study Start: September 1, 2008
• Primary Completion: February 1, 2009
• Study Completion: February 1, 2009
• Last Updated: April 14, 2010

Record last verified: 2010-04

Locations

US (1)