Relationship between muscle performance and DXA-derived bone parameters in community-dwelling older adults

OBJECTIVES: To examine association between muscle strength, jump test performance, muscle mass, bone mineral density (BMD), and bone strength in older adults. METHODS: Sixty individuals (55-75 years) participated. Leg press strength and bilateral hip abduction strength were evaluated by one repetition-maximum testing. Jump power (JPow) and jump height (JHt) were assessed by jump test performance. Relative skeletal muscle mass index (RSMI), total hip BMD, femoral neck BMD, lumbar spine BMD, section modulus (Z), cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), and bone strength index (BSI) were determined by DXA. RESULTS: After adjusting for age and gender, leg press strength 1) positively correlated with the total hip BMD, femoral neck BMD, and Z (all P<0.05). Also, leg press strength predicted the total hip BMD (P=0.013) and femoral neck BMD (P=0.021), after adjusting for age, gender, and RSMI. No associations were found between jump test performance and bone density or strength. CONCLUSION: Leg press strength is positively associated with bone density and bone strength in older population. It might serve as an additional tool to identify at-risk individuals for osteoporosis.