Low energy availability surrogates associated with lower bone mineral density and bone stress injury site

Are female athlete specific health considerations being assessed and addressed in preparticipation examinations? A scoping review and proposed framework

BACKGROUND

Preparticipation examinations (PPEs) are unstandardized screening tools routinely used to collect an athlete's baseline health information prior to the start of a new competitive season. However, many PPEs include minimal and often nonspecific questions related to the health concerns of female athletes. A lack of female athlete specific health questions could result in missed red flags and subsequent injury or illness. As such, the objectives of this scoping review were to (a) determine what female athlete specific health questions currently exist in PPEs in the scientific literature to prevent injury and illness, and (b) map the results against the health domains outlined in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus statement supplement on the female athlete.

METHODS

We searched Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, Medline Ovid, and SPORTDiscus from inception to December 2022. Any study with female athlete specific health PPE questions or recommendations for questions (i.e., menstrual health, eating habits, musculoskeletal health, etc.) was included. Three reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, followed by full text articles for eligibility and data extraction, with conflicts resolved by a third-party reviewer. Extracted data were summarized into 3 determined groupings.

RESULTS

Of the 1356 studies screened, 41 were included in this study. Forty studies (98%) included questions/recommendations related to menstrual health. Thirty-one studies (76%) had questions/recommendations concerning disordered eating/eating habits. Twenty-four studies (59%) referred to body weight/image, and 16 studies (39%) referred to musculoskeletal health. No studies included questions on all IOC female athlete health domains.

CONCLUSION

There is currently a gap in female athlete specific health content included in PPEs. A more comprehensive, standardized PPE with a focus on inclusion of female athlete specific health questions and considerations should be developed to improve health and optimal participation of female athletes around the world.

Factors Associated With High-Risk and Low-Risk Bone Stress Injury in Female Runners: Implications for Risk Factor Stratification and Management

Background

Bone stress injury (BSI) is a common overuse injury in active women. BSIs can be classified as high-risk (pelvis, sacrum, and femoral neck) or low-risk (tibia, fibula, and metatarsals). Risk factors for BSI include low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and poor bone health. Higher vertical load rates during running have been observed in women with a history of BSI.

Purpose/Hypothesis

The purpose of this study was to characterize factors associated with BSI in a population of premenopausal women, comparing those with a history of high-risk or low-risk BSI with those with no history of BSI. It was hypothesized that women with a history of high-risk BSI would be more likely to exhibit lower bone mineral density (BMD) and related factors and less favorable bone microarchitecture compared with women with a history of low-risk BSI. In contrast, women with a history of low-risk BSI would have higher load rates.

Study Design

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

Enrolled were 15 women with a history of high-risk BSI, 15 with a history of low-risk BSI, and 15 with no history of BSI. BMD for the whole body, hip, and spine was standardized using z scores on dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography was used to quantify bone microarchitecture at the radius and distal tibia. Participants completed surveys characterizing factors that influence bone health-including sleep, menstrual history, and eating behaviors-utilizing the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Each participant completed a biomechanical assessment using an instrumented treadmill to measure load rates before and after a run to exertion.

Results

Women with a history of high-risk BSI had lower spine z scores than those with low-risk BSI (-1.04 ± 0.76 vs -0.01 ± 1.15; P < .05). Women with a history of high-risk BSI, compared with low-risk BSI and no BSI, had the highest EDE-Q subscores for Shape Concern (1.46 ± 1.28 vs 0.76 ± 0.78 and 0.43 ± 0.43) and Eating Concern (0.55 ± 0.75 vs 0.16 ± 0.38 and 0.11 ± 0.21), as well as the greatest difference between minimum and maximum weight at current height (11.3 ± 5.4 vs 7.7 ± 2.9 and 7.6 ± 3.3 kg) (P < .05 for all). Women with a history of high-risk BSI were more likely than those with no history of BSI to sleep <7 hours on average per night during the week (80% vs 33.3%; P < .05). The mean and instantaneous vertical load rates were not different between groups.

Conclusion

Women with a history of high-risk BSI were more likely to exhibit risk factors for poor bone health, including lower BMD, while load rates did not distinguish women with a history of BSI.

Hormonal contraception for female athletes presents special needs and concerns

PURPOSE

Oral contraceptives (OCs) are commonly used by female athletes raising concerns regarding the possible adverse effects of OCs on physical performance, musculoskeletal injuries, and bone density. We aimed to review all current studies on the physiological effects of OCs in physically active women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A review of literature in electronic search in PubMed and Google Scholar databases from December 2002 to December 2022 using relevant keywords. The reference lists of the articles found eligible were also reviewed.

RESULTS

Out of 344 articles in the initial database, 54 clinical studies were eligible for inclusion in our literature review. OCs are used by about two-thirds of female athletes. Current research suggests that OCs' effects on endurance performance and muscle strength are mostly reassuring. OCs do not seem to have a major negative impact on bone health or sports injuries. In fact, new data suggests that they may even significantly reduce the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

CONCLUSIONS

OCs can be safely used by young female athletes, who may also benefit from better menstrual cycle control. OCs offer newly realised protection from ACL injuries. The use of OCs must be carefully individualised according to their preferences, expectations, and experience.

High prevalence of low bone mineral density but normal trabecular bone score in Norwegian elite Para athletes

Background

Low bone mineral density (BMD) increases the risk of bone stress injuries (BSI) and is one of several clinical concerns in Para athlete sports medicine. However, whether bone microarchitecture is altered in Para athletes is not known.

Objective

We aimed to investigate BMD, bone microarchitecture and incidence of bone stress injuries in Norwegian elite Para athletes.

Design

In this cross-sectional study in Para athletes, Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (iDXA, Lunar, GE Health Care) derived areal BMD, trabecular bone score (TBS), a surrogate marker for bone microarchitecture, and body composition (body weight (BW), lean body mass (LBM), fat mass (FM), fat percentage) were investigated and compared between ambulant and non-ambulant athletes. Also, the association between BMD, TBS and body composition variables was investigated. Incidence of BSI was assessed with a questionnaire and confirmed by a sports physician in a clinical interview. BMD Z-score <-1 was defined as low and ≤-2 as osteoporotic. TBS ≥ 1.31 was normal, 1.23-1.31 intermediate and <1.23 low.

Results

Among 38 athletes (26 ± 6 yrs, 14 females), BMD Z-score was low in 19 athletes, and osteoporotic in 11 athletes' lumbar spine (LS) or femoral neck (FN). BMD was lower in non-ambulant vs. ambulant athletes both in LS (1.13 ± 0.19 vs. 1.25 ± 0.14 g/cm2, p = 0.030) and FN (0.90 ± 0.15 vs. 1.07 ± 0.16 g/cm2, p = 0.003). TBS was normal for all athletes. BMD Z-score in LS was positively associated with TBS (r = 0.408, p = 0.013), body weight (r = 0.326, p = 0.046) and lean body mass (r = 0.414, p = 0.010), but not with fat mass or fat percentage. None of the athletes reported any BSI.

Conclusions

Half of the Norwegian elite Para athletes had low BMD, and 29% had BMD Z-score <-2 suggesting osteoporosis. Non-ambulant athletes were more prone to low BMD than ambulant athletes. However, despite high prevalence of low BMD, TBS was normal in all athletes, and BSI was absent in this young population.

Review of the scientific rationale, development and validation of the International Olympic Committee Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport Clinical Assessment Tool: V.2 (IOC REDs CAT2)-by a subgroup of the IOC consensus on REDs

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) has various different risk factors, numerous signs and symptoms and is heavily influenced by one's environment. Accordingly, there is no singular validated diagnostic test. This 2023 International Olympic Committee's REDs Clinical Assessment Tool-V.2 (IOC REDs CAT2) implements a three-step process of: (1) initial screening; (2) severity/risk stratification based on any identified REDs signs/symptoms (primary and secondary indicators) and (3) a physician-led final diagnosis and treatment plan developed with the athlete, coach and their entire health and performance team. The CAT2 also introduces a more clinically nuanced four-level traffic-light (green, yellow, orange and red) severity/risk stratification with associated sport participation guidelines. Various REDs primary and secondary indicators have been identified and 'weighted' in terms of scientific support, clinical severity/risk and methodological validity and usability, allowing for objective scoring of athletes based on the presence or absence of each indicator. Early draft versions of the CAT2 were developed with associated athlete-testing, feedback and refinement, followed by REDs expert validation via voting statements (ie, online questionnaire to assess agreement on each indicator). Physician and practitioner validity and usability assessments were also implemented. The aim of the IOC REDs CAT2 is to assist qualified clinical professionals in the early and accurate diagnosis of REDs, with an appropriate clinical severity and risk assessment, in order to protect athlete health and prevent prolonged and irreversible outcomes of REDs.

2023 International Olympic Committee's (IOC) consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs)

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) was first introduced in 2014 by the International Olympic Committee's expert writing panel, identifying a syndrome of deleterious health and performance outcomes experienced by female and male athletes exposed to low energy availability (LEA; inadequate energy intake in relation to exercise energy expenditure). Since the 2018 REDs consensus, there have been >170 original research publications advancing the field of REDs science, including emerging data demonstrating the growing role of low carbohydrate availability, further evidence of the interplay between mental health and REDs and more data elucidating the impact of LEA in males. Our knowledge of REDs signs and symptoms has resulted in updated Health and Performance Conceptual Models and the development of a novel Physiological Model. This Physiological Model is designed to demonstrate the complexity of either problematic or adaptable LEA exposure, coupled with individual moderating factors, leading to changes in health and performance outcomes. Guidelines for safe and effective body composition assessment to help prevent REDs are also outlined. A new REDs Clinical Assessment Tool-Version 2 is introduced to facilitate the detection and clinical diagnosis of REDs based on accumulated severity and risk stratification, with associated training and competition recommendations. Prevention and treatment principles of REDs are presented to encourage best practices for sports organisations and clinicians. Finally, methodological best practices for REDs research are outlined to stimulate future high-quality research to address important knowledge gaps.

Methodology for studying Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs): a narrative review by a subgroup of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus on REDs

In the past decade, the study of relationships among nutrition, exercise and the effects on health and athletic performance, has substantially increased. The 2014 introduction of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) prompted sports scientists and clinicians to investigate these relationships in more populations and with more outcomes than had been previously pursued in mostly white, adolescent or young adult, female athletes. Much of the existing physiology and concepts, however, are either based on or extrapolated from limited studies, and the comparison of studies is hindered by the lack of standardised protocols. In this review, we have evaluated and outlined current best practice methodologies to study REDs in an attempt to guide future research.This includes an agreement on the definition of key terms, a summary of study designs with appropriate applications, descriptions of best practices for blood collection and assessment and a description of methods used to assess specific REDs sequelae, stratified as either Preferred, Used and Recommended or Potential Researchers can use the compiled information herein when planning studies to more consistently select the proper tools to investigate their domain of interest. Thus, the goal of this review is to standardise REDs research methods to strengthen future studies and improve REDs prevention, diagnosis and care.

Exercise Selection and Common Injuries in Fitness Centers: A Systematic Integrative Review and Practical Recommendations

Weight resistance training (RT) is an essential component of physical conditioning programs to improve the quality of life and physical fitness in different ages and populations. This integrative review aimed to analyze the scientific evidence on the relationship between exercise selection and the appearance of musculoskeletal injuries in physical fitness centers (PFC). The PubMed or Medline, EMBASE or Science Direct, Google Scholar and PEDro databases were selected to examine the available literature using a Boolean algorithm with search terms. The review process was performed using the five-stage approach for an integrative review and it was reported according to the PRISMA in Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sport Medicine and Sports Science (PERSiST) guidelines. A total of 39 peer-reviewed articles (Price index = 71.7%) met the inclusion criteria and evaluated the link between exercise selection and the incidence of injuries in exercisers who regularly attend PFC. Most injuries occur to the shoulders, elbows, vertebrae of the spine, and knees. Although the injury etiologies are multifactorial, the findings of the reviewed articles include the impacts of overuse, short post-exercise recovery periods, poor conditioning in the exercised body areas, frequent use of heavy loads, improper technique in certain exercises, and the abuse of performance- and image-enhancing drugs. Practical recommendations addressed to clinical exercise physiologists, exercise professionals, and health professionals are given in this paper. The exercise selection in RT programs requires professional supervision and adhering to proper lifting techniques and training habits that consider the anatomical and biomechanical patterns of the musculoskeletal structures, as well as genetic, pedagogical, and methodological aspects directly related to the stimulus-response process to mitigate the occurrence of RT-related injuries in PFC.

Impaired Bone Microarchitecture at Distal Radial and Tibial Reference Locations Is Not Related to Injury Site in Athletes With Bone Stress Injury

BACKGROUND

Bone stress injuries (BSIs) are common sports injuries that occur because of an imbalance between microdamage accumulation and removal through bone remodeling. The underlying bone phenotype has been assumed to be a contributing factor. However, the bone microarchitecture of athletes with BSI is not well characterized, and no study has investigated whether impaired bone microarchitecture is associated with bone composition or anatomic site of injury.

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS

This cross-sectional study characterizes the bone microarchitecture at distal radial and tibial reference locations in athletes with BSI. Based on previous dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) findings, the aim was to compare anatomic injury sites, hypothesizing that athletes with BSIs in bones with greater trabecular composition show impaired bone microarchitecture parameters compared with those with BSIs in bones with greater cortical composition.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

Athletes who had presented to our outpatient clinic because of a high-grade BSI (ie, stress fracture) were retrospectively included. Blood and urine samples were collected. Areal bone mineral density (aBMD) was assessed by DXA at the lumbar spine and both hips. Bone microarchitecture was analyzed by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) at the distal radius and tibia. HR-pQCT parameters were expressed in relation to available sex-, age-, and device-adjusted reference values and compared with a cohort of 53 age- and sex-matched controls.

RESULTS

In total, 53 athletes had a BSI of the foot (n = 20), tibia/fibula (n = 18), pelvis (n = 9), femur (n = 5), or sternum (n = 1). Based on DXA measurements, a Z-score of -1.0 or lower was found in 32 of 53 (60.4%) of the athletes, of whom 16 of 53 (30.2%) had a Z score -2.0 or lower. While an impairment of cortical area (P = .034 and P = .001) and thickness (P = .029 and P < .001) was detected at the distal radius and tibia in the BSI cohort compared with controls, no differences in BMD or bone microarchitecture were observed between anatomic injury sites. Furthermore, no difference was revealed when BSIs were grouped into cortical- and trabecular-rich sites.

CONCLUSION

Reduced aBMD and impaired cortical bone microarchitecture were present in a considerable number of athletes with BSI. Neither aBMD nor bone microarchitecture was related to the injury site, highlighting the multifactorial etiology of BSI.