Skeletal differences at the ulna and radius between pre-pubertal non-elite female gymnasts and non-gymnasts

To compare skeletal parameters between the ulna and radius in pre-pubertal non-elite gymnasts and non-gymnasts. Fifty-eight non-elite artistic gymnasts, aged 6-11 years, were compared with 28 non-gymnasts for bone mineral content (BMC), total and cortical bone area (ToA, CoA), trabecular and cortical volumetric density (TrD, CoD) and estimated bone strength (BSI and SSIp), obtained by pQCT at the distal and proximal forearm. Gymnasts had greater estimated bone strength than non-gymnasts at both sites of the forearm. At the distal forearm, the gymnastics-induced skeletal benefits were greater at the radius than ulna (Z-scores for BMC, TrD and BSI +0.40 to +0.61 SD, p