Bone Quantity and Quality of Youths Working on a Farm—A Pilot Study

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of farm-related activities on the bone health of youths. Bone quantity and bone quality were quantitated in 36 adolescents-18 youth with a history of working on farms and 18 youth not involved in farm-related activities. Bone quantity as depicted by bone mineral density (BMD) was measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Bone quality was characterized with biomechanical measures based on bone geometry and measures of dynamic bone shock absorption (BSA) properties. Dynamic bone response measures provide preliminary evidence that farm-related physically demanding tasks lead to changes that may predispose the teenagers to degenerative skeletal disorders later in life. Future studies with larger samples need to be carried out to further support the findings.

Dynamic Bone Quality: A Noninvasive Measure of Bone's Biomechanical Property in Osteoporosis

“…We calculated these variables in the subset of our patients using the method and software published by Riancho et. al and compared those to data from the literature (29;37). While our fracture group showed lower values for section modulus, compressive strength, cortical thickness and higher values for buckling ratio than the non-fracture group, these differences were not statistically significant (Table 3).…”

“…Using the above-mentioned structural bandwidth and resonance frequency method, ζ were obtained directly from a measured FRF (34;35). We have used these variables successfully in our earlier studies in adults as well as adolescents (25;37). As waveforms vary due to the frequency content of the force transient and acceleration transient the ratios of heel-strike force and the accelerations can only be consistent on a frequency-by-frequency basis and that is the rationale for using the frequency domain or FRF analysis.…”

“…Another advantage of conducting the analysis in frequency domain is that it permits calculation of the damping value independent of surface and force-time peak level. Test and retest of BSA trial was carried out in our earlier study where the mean coefficient of variation was 5% and 8.6% for resonant frequency and damping, respectively (37). …”

◾ Ergonomic Analysis and Abatement Recommendations to Reduce Musculoskeletal Stress in Warehousing Operations: Case Study

“…youths who live and work on farms and youths who do not (Bhattacharya et al, 2007). Previous studies have shown that work-related factors such as repetitive kneeling, squatting, and heavy lifting are contributors to the development of osteoarthritis and other types of MSDs.…”

“…The main hypothesis for this study was that bone mass, static biomechanical properties, and dynamic shock absorption properties do not differ between youths involved in physically demanding farm-related tasks compared with those who do not work on farms. The study showed that dynamic bone response measures provide preliminary evidence that farm-related physically demanding tasks lead to changes that may predispose teenagers to degenerative skeletal disorders later in life (Bhattacharya et al, 2007).…”