Bone adaptation in adult women is related to loading dose: A 12‐month randomized controlled trial.

Although strong evidence exists that certain activities can increase bone density and structure in people, it is unclear what specific mechanical factors govern the response. This is important because understanding the effect of mechanical signals on bone could contribute to more effective osteoporosis prevention methods and efficient clinical trial design. The degree to which strain rate and magnitude govern bone adaptation in humans has never been prospectively tested. Here, we studied the effects of a voluntary upper extremity compressive loading task in healthy adult women during a twelve month prospective period. One hundred and two women age 21-40 participated in one of two experiments. (1): low (n = 21) and high (n = 24) strain magnitude. (2): low (n = 21) and high (n = 20) strain rate. Control: (n = 16): no intervention. Strains were assigned using subject-specific finite element models. Load cycles were recorded digitally. The primary outcome was change in ultradistal radius integral bone mineral content (iBMC), assessed with QCT. Interim timepoints and secondary outcomes were assessed with high resolution pQCT (HRpQCT) at the distal radius. Sixty-six participants completed the intervention, and interim data were analyzed for 77 participants. Likely related to improved compliance and higher received loading dose, both the low and high strain rate groups had significant 12-month increases to ultradistal iBMC (change in control: -1.3 +/- 2.7%, low strain rate: 2.7 +/- 2.1%, high strain rate: 3.4 +/- 2.2%), total iBMC, and other measures. "Loading dose" was positively related to 12-month change in ultradistal iBMC, and interim changes to total BMD, cortical thickness and inner trabecular BMD. Participants who gained the most bone completed, on average, 128 loading bouts of (mean strain) 575 muepsilon at 1878 muepsilon/s. We conclude that signals related to strain magnitude, rate, and number of loading bouts contribute to bone adaptation in healthy adult women, but only explain a small amount of variance in bone changes.