Physical activity in youth with osteogenesis imperfecta type I.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) type I often show muscular weakness. However, it is unclear whether muscular weakness is a consequence of physical inactivity or a result of the disease itself. The aim was to assess muscle function in youth with OI type I and evaluate physical activity (PA). METHODS: Fourteen children with OI type I (mean age [SD]: 12.75 [4.62] years) were compared to 14 age- and gender-matched controls (mean age [SD]: 12.75 [4.59] years). Muscle force and power were determined through mechanography. PA and daily energy expenditure were measured with an accelerometer and a questionnaire. RESULTS: Compared to controls, children with OI type I had lower muscle force and power. OI type I children were as active as their healthy counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Children and adolescents with OI type I and their healthy counterparts did not reached daily recommendations of PA. Given their muscle function deficit, youth with OI type I would benefit to reach these recommendations to prevent precocious effect of aging on muscles.

Validity of an accelerometer as a vertical ground reaction force measuring device in healthy children and adolescents and in children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta type I.

INTRODUCTION: Vertical ground reaction forces (vGRFs) are closely related to bone strength and development. It is therefore relevant to assess these forces in bone disorders accompanied with muscle weakness such as in osteogenesis imperfecta type I (OI type I). The purpose of the present study was to assess the validity of vGRFs derived from an accelerometer. METHODS: Fourteen children and adolescents with a diagnosis of OI type I (age range: 7 to 21; mean age [SD]: 14.1 [4.8] years; 5 males) and fourteen healthy controls (age range: 6 to 21; mean age [SD]: 12.5 [4.2] years; 5 males) performed three repetitions of five different jump and rise tests on a ground reaction force plate. Jumps and rises outcomes were measured simultaneously with the ground reaction force plate and an accelerometer. RESULTS: Pearson correlation coefficients were over 0.96 (p<0.001) for the five tests. The limits of agreement represented between 17 and 31% of the average peak force measured by both devices. The accelerometer is a promising tool to assess ground reaction forces in everyday life settings and has been shown to be sufficiently sensitive to detect muscular weakness in children and adolescent with OI type I.