Reflex Activity During Bone-Loading Exercises

NCT ID: NCT06711835

Last Updated: 2025-04-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-12-01
• Study Completion Date: 2025-01-15

Brief Summary

Load-bearing exercises are well-established as beneficial for bone health. Their role in promoting healthy bone development and managing osteoporosis is widely recognized. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the positive biomechanical effects of jumping-based load-bearing exercises, such as running, volleyball, basketball, tennis, and skipping rope, remain unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate whether jumping-based load-bearing exercises activate bone myoregulation reflex activity.

Detailed Description

Background and Objectives: Wolff was the first to propose that the microarchitectural structure and mechanical resistance of bone are remodeled in response to mechanical loads it experiences. Frost further expanded on this concept with the mechanostat theory, suggesting that bone formation and resorption remain in balance during routine daily activities. Decreased activity leads to increased bone resorption, while increased activity stimulates bone formation. Consequently, the microarchitectural structure and strength of bone weaken or strengthen accordingly. Recently, the bone reflex has been defined, suggesting that the central nervous system controls the local regulatory mechanisms described by Wolff and Frost. The bone reflex describes how osteocytes are stimulated by mechanical loading, leading to the neural regulation of bone formation and resorption according to mechanical needs (bone osteoregulation reflex). Additionally, it describes a mechanism by which the nervous system reflexively regulates the activity of surrounding muscles to optimally position the bone to resist applied mechanical load (bone myoregulation reflex).

Load-bearing exercises are well-established as beneficial for bone health, with their role in promoting healthy bone development and managing osteoporosis being widely recognized. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the positive biomechanical effects of jumping-based load-bearing exercises, such as running, volleyball, basketball, tennis, and rope skipping, remain unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate whether jumping-based load-bearing exercises activate bone myoregulation reflex activity.

Methods: The study will be conducted with a total of 40 healthy volunteers aged 20-50, comprising both women and men. Participants will be recruited from individuals who either regularly engage in jumping-based sports activities (e.g., volleyball, marathon running, and tennis) or those who perform typical daily living activities without regular sports engagement. Participants will be divided into two groups based on their activity levels: Group 1 (Normally Active Individuals) and Group 2 (Athletic Individuals).

Procedures:

Bone myoregulation reflex activity of the soleus and tibialis anterior muscles will be assessed in both groups during whole-body vibration and jumping using surface electromyography.

• Jumping Test: Participants will be instructed to jump in place 20 times, similar to rope skipping, with a 5-second rest interval between each jump.
• Whole-Body Vibration: Participants will stand on the plate and undergo low-amplitude (1.2 mm) whole-body vibration at eight different frequencies (25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, and 39 Hz) using a Powerplate Pro5 (Netherlands) device. Each vibration session will last for 10 seconds, with a 5-second rest interval between frequencies.

Conditions

Healthy

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Group 1 (Normally Active Individuals)

Individuals with Normal Daily Activities

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Whole-body vibration and Jumping

Intervention Type: OTHER

The subjects were first asked to jump in place 20 times, as if they were jumping rope. Then, whole-body vibration was applied. While the participants stood upright on the whole-body vibration device, low-amplitude (1.2 mm) vibrations were applied at eight different frequencies (25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39 Hz), each lasting for 10 seconds, with a 5-second rest period in between.

Group 2 (Athletic)

Participants who regularly engage in sports activities such as marathon running, basketball, or volleyball

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Whole-body vibration and Jumping

Intervention Type: OTHER

The subjects were first asked to jump in place 20 times, as if they were jumping rope. Then, whole-body vibration was applied. While the participants stood upright on the whole-body vibration device, low-amplitude (1.2 mm) vibrations were applied at eight different frequencies (25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39 Hz), each lasting for 10 seconds, with a 5-second rest period in between.

Interventions

Whole-body vibration and Jumping

The subjects were first asked to jump in place 20 times, as if they were jumping rope. Then, whole-body vibration was applied. While the participants stood upright on the whole-body vibration device, low-amplitude (1.2 mm) vibrations were applied at eight different frequencies (25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39 Hz), each lasting for 10 seconds, with a 5-second rest period in between.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

Loading exercise

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age: Between 20-50 years old
• Gender: Male or female
• Health status: Good general health
• Physical activity: Normally Active Individuals or Regularly engaging in jumping sports activities such as volleyball, marathon, or tennis, or not engaging in such activities

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals who cannot tolerate whole-body vibration
• Individuals with a history of neuromuscular disease
• Individuals with a history of skeletal disease

• Minimum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Eser Kalaoglu

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Eser Kalaoglu

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

İlhan Karacan, Prof.

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Istanbul Physical Medicine Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital

Eser Kalaoglu, M.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Istanbul Physical Medicine Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital

Locations

Istanbul Physical Medicine Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital

Istanbul, , Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

References

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Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 31942042 (View on PubMed)

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Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 39119811 (View on PubMed)

Ishikawa S, Kim Y, Kang M, Morgan DW. Effects of weight-bearing exercise on bone health in girls: a meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2013 Sep;43(9):875-92. doi: 10.1007/s40279-013-0060-y.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 23754172 (View on PubMed)

Zhang L, Miramini S, Richardson M, Ebeling P, Little D, Yang Y, Huang Z. Computational modelling of bone fracture healing under partial weight-bearing exercise. Med Eng Phys. 2017 Apr;42:65-72. doi: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2017.01.025. Epub 2017 Feb 22.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 28236603 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

IstPRMTRH-EK1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id