Effect of weight-bearing exercise and calcium supplement on cortical and trabecular bone in the proximal tibia metaphyseal- an experimental protocol in ovariectomized rats

Background and Osteoporotic fractures are much more common in older post-menopausal women and account for significant morbidity and mortality. Although age is an independent risk factor for fractures, bone micro-architecture is the predictor of subsequent fractures. Adequate calcium and Weight-bearing exercise are known to affect skeletal development, however, the effects of calcium supplement and treadmill endurance running on bone micro-architecture are not well known. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of treadmill endurance running training and calcium supplement, on micro-architectures of cortical and trabecular bone in the proximal tibia metaphyseal in ovariectomized Sprague Dawley rats. Forty-three rats were randomly divided into endurance running training, calcium supplement, control, pre-test and base groups. The rats in the treadmill running group performed the progressive running exercise in 12 to 20 m/minutes for a total of 10 to 60 minutes, 5 times a week. Calcium group received ca supplement using Gavage (35 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, micro-architecture parameters in the proximal tibia metaphyseal were measured by using a semi-automated image analysis system. The ovariectomay was associated with a significant decrease in the trabecular volume and thickness, while separation insignificantly decreased in the cortical volume and thickness in the proximal tibia metaphyseal. The treadmill running exercise and calcium supplement significantly increased cortical or trabecular volume and also thickness and the trabecular separation compared with age-matched controls. Furthermore, the micro-architectures of cortical and trabecular bone in the proximal tibia metaphyseal was insignificant between the treadmill endurance running and calcium supplement groups. Skeletal benefits can be obtained by changes in life style including: weight-bearing exercise or calcium supplement. Furthermore, weight-bearing exercise or calcium supplement, followed by ovariectomay had an inhibitory effect or reversal on micro-architecture parameters in weight-bearing bones.