Influence of Boot Sole Type on Bone Mass Accretion in Female Adolescents Soccer Players

Influence of Boot Sole Type on Bone Mass Accretion in Female Adolescents Soccer Players.

A Gonzalez-Aguero1,2, A Matute-Llorente1,2, G Lozano-Berges1,2,A Gomez-Bruton1,2, A Gomez-Cabello1,3, G Vicente-Rodriguez1,2, JA Casajus1,2

1GENUD research group, University of Zaragoza, Spain

2Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences (FCSD), Department of Physiatry and Nursing, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain

3Centro Universitario de la Defensa, Zaragoza, Spain

Introduction: Soccer has been shown as a beneficial sport for adolescents in terms of bone mass acquisition. The high ground-reaction forces together with the high muscular tension that this sport provokes helps the bone to adapt and become stronger. The sole of the soccer boot is the place where ground-reaction forces break through the body, and it therefore might have an effect on bone adaptations.

Objective: to identify whether the different type of boot sole (Astro Turf: AT; Artificial Ground: AG) has any influence on the acquisition of bone mass throughout a season in female adolescent players.

Methods: Thirty female adolescent soccer players participated in the study (11.5-14 yr); 14 of them used AT, and 16 AG boots. Lower limbs bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD), and lean mass were assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the beginning and end of the season (9 months). ANOVA for repeated measures using height, lean and maturational status as covariates were applied to evaluate differences in BMC acquisition in both, dominant and non-dominant legs. Percentages of change between beginning and end of season BMC values were also calculated, and a 2-independentsamples t-test was applied to observe differences.

Results: no significant group by time interactions were found for any leg BMC or BMD. Tendencies towards greater increments in AT groupcompared with AG group were found inthe non-dominant leg for both BMC (320 to 355gr in AT vs. 341 to 365gr in AG; p=0.07) and BMD (1.029 to 1.136gr/cm2 in AT vs. 1.094 to 1.164gr/cm2 in AG; p=0.06).

Conclusions: it seems from the results obtained, that female adolescent soccer players using AT boots might have an minor extra beneficial effect of soccer in terms of bone mass, at least in the non-dominant leg(supporting/standing leg for passes, shoot, dribbling).

Supported by the Spanish ‘Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad’ (Project DEP 2012-32724)’.

References:

Vicente-Rodriguez, G., et al., High femoral bone mineral density accretion in prepubertal soccer players. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2004. 36(10): p. 1789-95.

Soderman, K., et al., Bone mass and muscle strength in young female soccer players. Calcif Tissue Int, 2000. 67(4): p. 297-303.