Abstract
Effects of forced running exercise and dietary programs on bending strength and ash content of the femur were studied in forty growing male rats. They were divided into six experimental groups with three levels of feeding and three levels of daily exercise. The forced exercise groups were trained to run on a treadmill at a maximum speed of about 40m/min. Biomechanical data were collected by a three points bending test on intact femora. The food intake restriction caused a marked negative effect on the ultimate bending moment without any influence on the ultimate bending stress. An opposite effect in the bending stress and ash content was observed for two different exercise amount. The moderate exercise amount tended to increase the bending stress and the ash content irrespective of the nutritive condition while the hard exercise amount had a marked negative effect on these variables.
