1996 Volume 62 Issue 1 Pages 3-12
The maximum biting force (MBF) and right calcaneus bone stiffness using Ultrasonic method 91 female students aged 19.6 ± 0.5 years was assessed to evaluate the relations between biting force and bone density, and effect of playing sport for one of preventive measures of osteoporosis. We took two time measurements both of left and right biting force, and adopted high measurement of those and call it maximum biting force (MBF). And we surveyed questionnaire about sport club member's period and exercise quantity. The evaluations were made using Ultrasound Bone Densitometer and compared between the subjects who have experience of a sport club member (experienced group) and who have not experience (non-experienced group). The results obtained were as follows. 1 The average MBF in subjects experienced group and the average stiffness of them was significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of the other subjects non-experienced group. 2 There were significant positive correlations between the MBF, stiffness and grip strength (p <0.01), back strength (p <0.01) and vital capacity (p <0 .05) in subjects experienced group. For the subjects non-experienced group no correlations between MBF, stiffness and physical fitness measurements were observed. 3 To analyze multiple correlation, for subjects experienced group, there were significant (p<0.01) positive correlations between MBF and stiffness, but no correlations between stiffness and BMI {Body Mass Index, height/weight (kg/m2) } were observed. For the subjects non-experienced group, there was a significant (p< 0 .05) positive correlation between stiffness and BMI, but no correlations between stiffness and MBF were observed. 4 The subjects experienced group for long period or who quitted sport club in their high teens were high MBF and stiffness without regard to training days in a week or training hours in a day. 5 The average MBF and stiffness in subjects who are sport club members now were significantly higher than those of the other subjects non-experienced group. The average MBF and stiffness in subjects who quitted sport club in 1718 years old were significantly higher than those of the other subjects non-experienced group. But theaverage MBF and stiffness in subjects who quitted sport club in 1314 years old were lower than those of the other subjects non-experienced group. 6 The result of questionnaire on health showed that the average MBF in subjects who answered that training for the sport in past contributes to health was significantly (p <0.05) higher than those of the other subjects who answered that training for the sport in past is no correlation to health. But stiffness of the first is higher, but it's not significantly than that of second. The above mentioned, we think that it is necessary that we should play sport which we increase biting force to increase stiffness for the purpose of preventing osteoporosis.
