The Relationship Between Lower Limb Bone and Muscle in Military Recruits, Response to Physical Training, and Influence of Smoking Status

The relationship between bone and skeletal muscle mass may be affected by physical training. No studies have prospectively examined the bone and skeletal muscle responses to a short controlled exercise-training programme. We hypothesised that a short exercise-training period would affect muscle and bone mass together. Methods: Femoral bone and Rectus femoris Volumes (RF(VOL)) were determined by magnetic resonance imaging in 215 healthy army recruits, and bone mineral density (BMD) by Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and repeated after 12 weeks of regulated physical training. Results: Pre-training, RF(VOL) was smaller in smokers than non-smokers (100.9 ± 20.2 vs. 108.7 ± 24.5, p = 0.018; 96.2 ± 16.9 vs. 104.8 ± 21.3, p = 0.002 for dominant/non-dominant limbs), although increases in RF(VOL) with training (of 14.2 ± 14.5% and 13.2 ± 15.6%] respectively, p < 0.001) were independent of prior smoking status. Pre-training RF(VOL) was related to bone cortical volume (r(2) = 0.21 and 0.30, p < 0.001 for dominant and non-dominant legs), and specifically to periosteal (r(2) = 0.21 and 0.23, p < 0.001) volume. Pre-training dominant RF(VOL) was independently associated with Total Hip BMD (p < 0.001). Training-related increases in RF(VOL) and bone volumes were related. Whilst smokers demonstrated lower muscle mass than non-smokers, differences were abolished with training. Training-related increases in muscle mass were related to increases in periosteal bone volume in both dominant and non-dominant legs.