The aim of this study was to determine the effect of breathhold diving on female diver's bone mineral density (BMD).

A cross-sectional observational study was carried out utilizing a health checkup of divers and controls at a hospital in Jeju city, Korea. Female divers (n=61) were matched with non-diver controls (n=61) by age, weight and postmenopausal year. BMD of the proximal femur(femoral neck, trochanter and Ward's triangle) was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).

The average diving duration of the female divers was 34+/-13 years. The BMD of the divers was higher than that of the controls in the femur neck and trochanter (p<0.05). On correlations analysis, the status of menopause, age, body weight and age at menarche were significantly correlated with proximal femur BMD in the divers (p<0.05). On multiple regression analysis, age and body weight were predictors of proximal femur BMD in the divers. On linear regression analysis of proximal femur BMD according to age in the divers and controls, regression coefficients of the divers were lower in all 3 areas of the proximal femur than the controls.

BMD of the divers was higher than that of the controls in the femur neck and trochanter. There was a tendency for BMD of the divers to decrease faster than that of the controls with increasing age.