We evaluated the mechanical properties, obtained by means of flexion-compression assays in femurs and flexion assays on three tibial sites of ovariectomized adult female rats submitted to physical activity. Thirty rats were employed and divided into 3 groups: G1: Control. G2: Ovariectomized animals and not submitted to physical activity. G3: Animals trained in a spinning cage for five consecutive days, subsequently submitted to ovariectomy, and allowed to rest during 24 hours. The animals were submitted to physical activity for 30 minutes, 5 days a week, for a period of 9 weeks, at a speed of approximately 0.31 m/s. The values achieved for load and deformation evidenced that ovariectomized rats’ femurs presented with a statistically significant reduction on load and deformation mechanical properties, at the maximum limit. Femurs in the group submitted to ovariectomy and physical activity presented with load and deformation values at maximum limit superior to those for the group submitted only to ovariectomy, however, with no statistical significance. The tibiae didn’t present significant changes in any of the mechanical properties studied. Physical activity applied for 30 minutes, 5 days a week, during 9 weeks at 0.31 m/s was not enough to correct the biomechanical changes of bone tissue yielded by ovariectomy.
Biomechanics; Bone diseases; Metabolic; Ovariectomy; Physical exercise
