The Research Of Correlations Between Calcaneus's Bone Strength And Calf Muscle Strength In Male Elderly Intelligentsia

Purpose: This study research the associations between calcaneus's bone strength and muscle strength of calf and body composition and body size in male elderly intelligentsia. Objects: 37 elderly men (age 69.16 years old, from 61 to 80 yrs) who had at least medium faculty titles in Tsinghua university. Methods: Calcaneus's bone strength was assessed by Achilles+ quantitative ultrasound apparatus, the isokinetic peak torques of calf concentric and eccentric muscle strength were measured using Isomed2000 dynamometer in 90°/s. Height, weight, body composition, lean mass were also measured. Results: Weak but still significant correlation(r=0.386, P <0.05) only existed between relative peak torque of tibialis anterior concentric muscle strength and calcaneus's bone strength. But the bone strength significant correlated with the ratios of calf concentric and eccentric muscle strength. Conclusion: The correlations between calcaneus's bone strength and calf muscle strength were very weak in male elderly intelligentsia, so we do not advise the male elderly intelligentsia to keep calcaneus's bone strength by training calf muscle strength. The ratios of calf concentric and eccentric muscle strength maybe are predictors of calcaneus's bone strength. And the ratios can show the effects of physical activity on human bone.